On the first anniversary of the incorporation of Naad Pargaas USA, the organization conducted a seminar on the future opportunities and challenges for Sikh Society at Mata Tripta Gurdwara, Plymouth Michigan. The seminar included a talk by Amandeep Singh, Director Naad Pargaas USA on “Unfolding Sikh experience in the future” followed by a presentation on “Career and Educational opportunities for Sikh Youth” by Jaspreet Singh, Vice President, DTE Energy. This was followed by poetry recitation by Satpal Goel and a presentation by Harjot Kaur, on the works done by Naad Pargaas in the first year of its incorporation. Raman Kaur concluded the program with the word of thanks towards the Gurdwara committee and Naad Pargaas USA.
In his talk, Amandeep Singh said that with the advent of AI , Robotics, Genetic engineering etc., mankind is all set to witness a technical or economic revolution in the world that would seriously alter the value systems of human societies. The new age, he said, would bring in its own challenges and opportunities, that would also cast a serious transformation in individual and social ethics as a direct by-product of the technological revolution. Besides different types of materials, AI would also produce individual centric society and reshape the collective psyche with virtual connections, while humans in a way shall contribute towards a kind of self-estrangement in upcoming virtual-digital age. He suggested that the real collective for Sikhs, therefore, can be found in revisiting the idea of Panthak Rehni. Unless the religious ethics of Marayada are rejuvenated in religious terms, individual ethics would be overshadowed by data-centric ethics of new technology, which would reduce human subjectivity, creativity, and imagination into a numerical figure and an enslavement to the idea of the ‘Capital’ of an unprecedented nature . For enhancing subjective understanding and improving imagination, Sikhs should read voraciously and express their thoughts in writing, while cultivating Sikh aesthetics.
Amandeep Singh’s talk was followed by career advice session by Jaspreet Singh. He recommended that education should be understood as an experience that helps us prepare for life. For real learning humans are required to transcend the boundaries of their comport zone. He noted that pandemic has reset the world in which we humans have lived so far and human brains are rewired to adopt to de-globalized world thereafter. However, despite the changing political environment that drifts away from globalization, the economic activity and energy resources in modern age are keeping supply chains dependent upon the global needs. Taking into consideration the upcoming changes he also recommended several careers for the youth that he can be considered for exploring future potentialities in business world. His talk was followed by a couple of poems by Satpal Goel. His poems Anant de mahima and Maheyae de ful were appreciated by the audiences.
Harjot Kaur, Convener, Naad Pargaas USA was the last speaker who gave the summary of the activities of Naad Paraas USA undertaken in its first year of inauguration. Maneuvering through the calendar, she reminded of the book launches, in-person Persian classes that were also available on line for any one to start learning Persian from scratch, poetry recital functions, youth interaction workshops, inviting Jathedar Akal Takht on the release of new book Essays on Akal Takht published by Naad Pargaas, book discussion seminar, the inauguration of Sikh women book club that meets every three weeks to undertake discussion on the important books on Sikh literature, poetic celebration of 110 years of Sikh migration in Michigan etc.
She mentioned Naad Pargaas USA has initiated a quarterly newsletter for which she invited the members of the sangat to subscribe by writing an email to [email protected]. She also encouraged the members of the Sangat to write poems, short stores or personal experience that can go on the newsletter and mentioned that the organization shall help in editing the content in order to encourage and promote future authors and literary writers. Naad Pargaas USA, she mentioned, was dedicated to understand Sabda tradition and therefore all efforts of the organization are in the direction of promoting the Sabda Philoshipy while cultivating the essence of Naam Ras in personal endeavors. She expressed her gratitude towards the management committee of Mata Tripta Gurdwara to assist in organizing the event.
The seminar was concluded by a word of thanks by Raman Kaur. Highlighting the importance of such events in the community she mentioned that these events help us to cope up with the pace of the changes in the history that encourages Sikhs to be fully aware and present while taking the challenges head on. This, she mentioned, shall require Sikhs to be engaged in the present while being cautious and optimistic towards the future course of history.
The program was live streamed and can be accessed on YouTube channel Naad Pargaas USA. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I7S3rPtSArw