Op/Ed: SIKH ASSEMBLY – Welcome to a new future
Posted: 16 Oct 2019 11:40 AM PDT     Today has witnessed the dawn of the coming together of Sikh individuals and bodies, to create a profile for collective endeavours and representation. The “Sikh Assembly” is the start of a new era that promises progressive and meaningful dialogue to benefit the Sikh community in the UK.
  The Sikh Assembly was inaugurated at Nanaksar Gurdwara Walsall on Saturday 12th October 2019, to combine the talent, intelligence, skills, knowledge and abilities of the UK Sikh community. It will be an assembly of individuals, groups and organisations all wanting to encourage and facilitate Sikhs to create a thriving positive environment to enable the Sikh community to flourish and participate as invested members of British public life and society.
  The Sikh Assembly has been welcomed as a breath of fresh air, a collaborative innovator and a positive addition to the fabric of political and social engagement in the UK.
  The Chief Executive Officer & Chair of the Trustees, Paramjit Kaur Matharu, welcomed and acknowledged the pledges of support from a broad range of existing Sikh organisations and prominent individuals, for their forthcoming work and aspirations saying, “the Sikh community in the UK has a mature and established footprint. Many Sikh bodies and individuals are achieving success in their chosen fields. However, we have not yet created an effective collaborative and connected platform to either fully showcase our achievements, or more importantly highlight areas where a collective voice needs to be heard. Even more importantly the spirit of Chardhi Kala (positive mentality) and Sarbat da Bhalla (for the good of all), requires every Sikh to think beyond self and to be engaged and mindful of societal good. Our hopes and prayers are for the coming together of strong skill sets, partnering and focused investment from the Sikh community to be a force for good in the UK.”
   In addition to the Sikh Assembly’s resolve to offer a united Sikh approach to existing and expected issues and those yet to manifest themselves, Daljit Singh the Chief Operating Officer was upbeat and forthcoming with a positive outlook for the future. He stated, “our vision clearly caught the imagination of attendees at our inaugural event. We saw in action, how the vision of a single leading platform, could showcase excellent work being done by groups and individuals. The energy, enthusiasm and excitement were self-evident in the free flow of ideas, experiences and collaborations being shared by all at the event. We believe that this marks a new opportunity and era in the collaboration and partnership of Sikh organisations and individuals, creating a stronger and more united future. We are excited and extremely encouraged by the feedback received and look forward to the official launch of the Sikh Assembly in early 2020.”