London: The World Sikh Organisation (WSO) has issued a written message on 550th Parkash Gurpurab of Guru Nanak Ji. The Gurpurab was marked by Sikhs globally on Tuesday, 12th of November 2019.
Message on Sri Guru Nanak Saheb’s 550th Anniversary
Nanakshahi Katik 18, 551 1st Nov 2019
punjabtimes1@gmail.com
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!!
The month of November 2019 marks the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism, Sri Guru Nanak Saheb ji. The World Sikh Parliament on this occasion congratulates the Sikh community and extends their greetings to the world community. Where other celebrations across the globe to recognize the anniversary are taking place, the World Sikh Parliament encourages the Sikhs nationwide in their countries to invite their neighbors to their local gurdwaras, explaining to them the traditions of the Sikh faith and spread his message of love, kindness and justice for all. Born in 1469 AD in village of Rai Bhoe Tawandi now in Pakistan, he traveled across several parts of the world while communicating his eternal message of peace and oneness of humankind. Challenging tyrant emperors and leaders, he broke down the shackles of castes. His teachings encourage to live one’s life with righteousness, honesty, equality, sharing with people and showing compassion and are the cornerstones of the Sikh faith. Sri Guru Nanak Saheb ji organized the Sikhs to end public suffering and cruelty in the world by encouraging to live actively while defending their rights and of those in suffering. His message is clear-that rather than dying slow deaths at the hands of those in power, it is better to die the deaths of the brave in resistance.
Following in his footsteps, the World Sikh Parliament remembers those that laid down their lives in history for the Sikh nation and the Sikh prisoners incarcerated in the Indian prison system for many years. We also remember those that continue to raise their concerns against the systematic human rights abuse in India against the minority communities, including the Sikhs, Christians, Muslim, Dalits, Buddhist and the Jain communities. The World Sikh Parliament pledges on this occasion to take meaningful steps to address these issues relating to the individual human rights of the hundreds of thousands of Sikhs that have been killed, disappeared, tortured, unlawfully imprisoned or otherwise brutalized with total impunity in India. The Sikh nation is undeniably a holder of the right to self-determinate where human rights and social justice form a cornerstone of the Sikh belief as taught by the founder of the Sikh faith, Sri Guru Nanak Saheb ji.
The World Sikh Parliament on this occasion also thanks the government of Pakistan, especially their Prime Minister Imran Khan for taking the initiative by opening their border to build the Kartarpur corridor complex, connecting the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan with Dera Baba Nanak (in Gurdaspur). Thousands of Sikhs will be visiting Pakistan in the month of November from all over the world to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Saheb.
The formation of the World Sikh Parliament came about from a resolution of the Sarbat Khalsa (gathering of the Sikh nation) held in Punjab on 10 November 2015. The Sikh religion stands for social justice, human liberty, ethical living, freedom of conscience, gender equality, has a following of over 20 million and is the world’s 5th largest religion.
This message is from the executive body of the World Sikh Parliament and all their members constituting the international and regional councils.
General Secretaries World Sikh Parliament:
Manpreet Singh, Hardyal Singh