WASHINGTON: Guru Gobind Singh Foundation (GGSF) representing the Sikhs faith participated on various events celebrating the birth anniversary of civil rights leader, Dr.Martin Luther King. Last month, Embassy of Israel in observance of Dr.King’s birthday, Save 1993 Civil Rights Award to Benjamin Hooks, Executive Director of NAACP, most prestigious Political organization of African Americans, Second recipient of this award was Judith Lichtman, President of Women’s Legal Defense Fund, a main lobbying organization for women’s issues in this country, Israeli Ambassador welcomed the audience and William Taylor of Leadership Conference on Civil Rights paid tributes to Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first black Supreme Court Justice who died recently. Ralph Neas, an outspoken civil rights activist and powerful voice at the Capitol Hill, introduced Hooks. Hooks, upon receiving this award, invited people to work together on the civil and human rights issues to fulfill the dream of Rev, Martin Luther King.
This event was cosponsored by Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and Jewish National Fund of America. This was the eighth annual event organized by Embassy of Israel primarily to being together the Jewish and African American community. Dr.Rajwant Singh, Executive Director of GGSF and Bhai Gurdarshan Singh, Granthi of GGSF participated in this event and discussed ways to strengthen alliances with the Jewish and Afro American community.
In another event, Dr.Surjit Kaur, secretary of GGSF led the Sikh prayer at the interfaith service marking the birth anniversary of Dr.King. This event was organized by Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. and Federal Holiday Com missions. An audience of 1,500 people witnessed the recitation and hymn singing from Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Mormon, Jewish and Sikh faith traditions, Each faith’s tradition presented their religious symbols reflecting the diversity and coming together of these varied traditions. “Kara,” a steel bracelet, a Sikh symbol representing Godas the infinite with no beginning, middle, or end and which also symbolizes Sikh’s relationship with God, was represented by Dr. Kaur. She recited the hymn by Bhagat Kabir “Awal Allah Noor Upaya” and translated into English message of universal brotherhood and equality.
A statement of purpose released at this occasion read, “We are determined to let freedom ring. From every mountainside, village and hamlet, let freedom ring for all God’s children on this earth, wherever they are oppressed. We are determined to build a world where every child of the living God may find fulfillment. We are united in the search for peace with justice.”
Dr.Singh said, “We are determined as a community to work towards the fulfillment of the dream of Dr.King which is also the implementation of Sikh principles of equality and justice, propagated by Sikh Gurus.”
Article extracted from this publication >> March 19, 1993
