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WASHINGTON: Sikh Council on Religion and Education in partnership with Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee requests all Sikhs to celebrate Gurgaddi Diwas of the 7th Guru, Guru Har Rai ji, as a Sikh Environment Day.
Guru Har Rai Ji, who became Guru in the year 1644, preached that Sikhs must come to the defense of all that is vulnerable and protect the well being of plants and animals.
Dr. Rajwant Singh, Chairman of SCORE, said, “This will provide an opportunity to reflect upon our relationship with nature and this would be a day when we commit to environmental activism as followers of Guru Har Rai ji.”
In July 2009, in collaboration with the United Nations, SCORE organized a EcoSikh conclave in New Delhi in which Sikh organizations and leaders declared a five year plan as a Sikh response and commitment to save earth against the threat of global warming. This plan was presented to the UN chief Ban Ki Moon in December at the Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth's residence which hosted an international conference of all religions on global warming.
Sikh plan includes creating a one particular environmentally focused celebration from Sikh history and theology and it focuses on five key areas--assets, education, media/advocacy, eco-twinning ( pairing gurdwaras across globe for collaborative work), and celebration.
Avtar Singh Makkar, President of SGPC, while talking to Dr. Rajwant Singh from Washington, agreed to send announcements to all educational institutions to mark March 14th as the Sikh Environment day. He also pledged to plant 100,000 trees in SGPC run schools and colleges. In addition, Dr. Rajwant Singh asked him to direct all ragis to sing shabads with environment theme from the Golden Temple during the TV broadcasts to encourage Sikhs all across the globe to dedicate this Sunday for environment.
Dr. Rajwant Singh said, “Under this Sikh plan, we propose to coordinate an annual EcoSikh holiday corresponding with Gur Har Rai ji Gurgaddi Diwas. Guru Har Rai Ji’s legacy provides one of the most inspiring models for our ecological consciousness. To commemorate and celebrate the important points of his life each year, while meditating on our own environmental habits, will be a profound way to gain spiritual renewal.
He further added, that a number of shabads extol the relationship between Sikhi and the environment and we can focus on their message during this celebration. In honor of this day, we propose that all communities participate in a tree planting ceremony or various other activities listed below or in the EcoSikh plan at www.ecosikh.org. In addition, we propose that all communities participate in a local environmental clean up. We hope that this particular day can be celebrated and the entire Sikh community can do something together, in solidarity around the world.
SCORE also plans to announce a committee of prominent Sikh personalities and environmental activists like Baba Sewa Singh, Baba Seechewal, Prof. Manjit Singh, and Justice Kuldeep Singh to help coordinate Sikh environmental activism and to work with international bodies like UN. Various celebrations will take place in Punjab and in other parts of India on March 14th.
In North America , various Gurdwaras have committed celebrating this day as a Sikh Environment day. Sikh youth is also getting excited in planning and executing ideas to celebrate this occasion.
Sikh Youth in Washington have drawn up a plan to make presentations on Sikh environmental teachings on March 14th celebrations at the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation. Youth will sing various shabads focusing on nature. In addition, they plan to collect funds to support tree planting of 100 trees on 1 Kilometer of a road leading to Khadoor Sahib in Punjab ,India and other parts of India .
To plant a tree and to water it for four years, the cost is $25 dollars.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥