(New Delhi, India: June 27, 2009): On July 4, 2009, UN Leaders and Leading Sikh personalities in India and other parts of the world are gathering in a confe rence in Delhi to launch EcoSikh, the Sikh community’s response to global warming and climate change. The meeting will take place at India Habitat Center at 11.00 AM. Assistant Secretary General of the UNDP Olav Kjorven, Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at the UNDP Ajay Chhibber are both joining from New York in this Sikh environmental summit. EcoSikh will be the Sikh contribution to the Alliance for Religions and Conservation (ARC) / United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Plans for Generational Change Project.
Among those attending the conference are Union Cabinet member Dr. Mahohar Singh Gill, President of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Avtar Singh, President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (DSGPC) Paramjit Singh Sarna, Former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Kuldeep Singh, and many other leading environmental activists. In addition, Baba Sewa Singh of Khaddor Sahib, Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, Prof. Manjit Singh, Tarloachan Singh, MP, Dr. Mohinder Singh of Bhai Vir Singh Sahit Sadan, Vikram Singh Sahney of World Punjabi Organization, and many other Sikh politicians, artists, grass roots leaders, business leaders, and=2 0CEO's of companies will be in attendance. Sikh representatives from all over India and US are also expected to attend. In addition, wife of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Mrs. Gursharan Kaur, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Preneet Kaur and other elected officials from Punjab have been invited.
The Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) is organizing the
conference and will be presenting a plan for the Sikh community around
the world to develop and adopt as a way to improve ecological practices
and help invigorate the Sikh tradition of environmental activism.
“SCORE has brought together a small group of environmentalists and
leaders from around the world to create an infrastructure and seed plan
that we believe can be instrumental to connecting Sikhi and existing
Sikh environmental efforts with gurdwaras worldwide. The conference
will enable us to fine-tune the structure so that it becomes something
practical and empowering for the various communities that comprise us,”
said Dr. Rajwant Singh, Chairperson of SCORE. SCORE has also launched a
website www.ecosikh.org
to start worldwide participation of Sikhs in this important
dialogue.Many young Sikh professionals in Washington and youth from
Guru Gobind S ingh Foundation participated and helped shape the Sikh
plan.
EcoSikh’s vision of global environmental action, grassroots
empowerment, and solidarity across the Sikh community has attracted
notable interest around the globe. The Initiative will not only create
an infrastructure to help unite and connect Sikh environmental efforts,
it will join those of other religious communities around the world.
EcoSikh will be presented alongside the plans of other world religions
to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in London in November and these
will be used to inform the United Nations Climate Change Conference in
Copenhagen this December.
Copenhagen COP meeting of the United Nations (http://en.cop15.dk/)
will determine the shape of the next stage of the ‘Kyoto Protocol’,
considered by many to be a cruc ial event for the future of the planet.
Almost all the world leaders including President Obama and Dr. Manmohan
Singh are expected to attend the Copenhagen's summit to make a
commitment to change the direction of the world on this critical issue
for the future of humanity.
Gurpreet Singh and S. Makhan Singh, a prominent Sikh personality and
formerly of Punjab & Sind Bank, in capital area is putting
together the details of this important meeting. EcoSikh is being
co-sponsored by Bhai Vir Singh Sahit Sadan, Guru Granth Sahib Resource
Center and World Punjabi Organization in Delhi.
To learn more about EcoSikh CONTACT: [email protected] or Chris Byrnes [email protected] +001 703 300 4377 Namrata Kaur Sandhu in India at [email protected] Dr. Rajwant Singh in India +91 97174 78977 EcoSikh Youth Representative - Dilroop Kaur Sidhu [email protected]
