December 13, 2003
Toledo, Ohio

Contact: Mr. Kuldeep Singh, 419-304-6761
sikhs@accesstoledo.com

North American Sikh Conference held December 13 on Women’s Rights and Responsibilities at Oakland University in Detroit

Over 200 persons from the US and Canada participated in a landmark North American Sikh Conference in Detroit, Michigan, December 13, 2003 on Women’s Rights and Responsibilities.

The conference was sponsored by the Sociology and Anthropology Department of Oakland University, and was organized by the World Sikh Council – America Region’s Education Committee and the Sikh Gurdwara of Rochester Hills, Michigan.

The invited speakers were four highly educated professional women, committed to the Sikh way of life, from California to Connecticut, and Toronto to Vancouver.

The program, at Oakland Center of the university, began with Sabad Kirtan by a group of young Sikh girls from Detroit.

Professor Gary Shepard, Director of Religious Studies at Oakland University, welcomed the attendees. Professor Charles Mabee, Special Lecturer of Religious Studies at the university, presented the opening remarks, putting the conference theme in the current context.

Ms. Rupinder Kaur, a radio and television program host and human rights activist from Guelph, Ontario began the theme of the conference by elaborating on “Apprising the higher authorities about the role of women.”

The morning session comprised of two outstanding presentations (followed by discussions):

• Role of Women Envisioned by the Sikh Gurus, by Ms. Palbinder Kaur of Surrey, British Columbia. Palbinder is a Barrister and Solicitor, Director of Fraser Health Authority – one of six health authorities in British Columbia, past Chair of the National Administrative Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association, and a distinguished recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Community Service. She spoke eloquently about using the philosophy of the Sikh Gurus in achieving gender equality and emphasized the need to recognize and remove barriers to change.
• Role of Sikh Women in History, by Ms. Ramandeep Kaur of Toronto, Ontario. Ramandeep is a Barrister and Solicitor with a well-known Toronto law firm, first place winner of the International Sikh Youth Symposium, past law clerk to the Chief Justice and Justices of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and keynote speaker at various other Sikh conferences. She passionately laid out the role of women in the Sikh faith and the role that they played in history. She elaborated on ways for Sikh girls to draw inspiration from their great grandmothers in helping to create an environment conducive to infusing the Sikh spirit in upcoming generations.

Around noon, the conference attendees visited the Sikh Gurdwara of Rochester Hills for langar (Sikh community meal prepared by volunteers). Following the lunch meal, the attendees returned to the university campus for the afternoon session.

The afternoon session was composed of two presentations, each followed by brief discussions:

• Peace and Harmony in the House, by Ms. Inni Kaur of Norwalk, Connecticut. Inni is Vice-President of Spectrum Communications, a published poet, member of the Editorial Board of Nishaan – a Sikh magazine celebrating Sikh heritage, and has lived in Kuwait, India, New Zealand, Australia, and Greece before moving to the US in 1982. Inni delivered a touching lecture on the need and means of developing internal peace and harmony in a family according to Gurmat. She focused on the family love of complete oneness, of perfect balance, and which knows no separation or mistrust.
• Adoption of the Principle of Equal Opportunities for All, by Ms. Anahat Kaur of Napa, California. Anahat is a physician in the Los Angeles area, recipient of the American Heart Association Research Award, Board member of the National Conference of Community and Justice of Orange County Region, and member of the Education and Interfaith committees of World Sikh Council – America Region. She spoke breathtakingly about the Sikh Rehat Maryada and the equal opportunities it provides to Sikh women. She challenged Sikh women to be the Rosa Parks of today!

After a brief coffee break, the four women presenters gathered together in an extensive and thought-provoking panel discussion and responded to questions from the audience.

Following the panel discussion, Mr. Kuldeep Singh, Chair of the Education Committee of World Sikh Council – America Region, in his concluding remarks, reminded the audience of the far sightedness of Guru Nanak in granting all the rights that one can ever imagine to women 500 years ago, when Hindu and Muslim women of the time hardly had any rights and when, in USA, even voting rights were denied to them until the 19th amendment to the US constitution got ratified in 1920. He elaborated on the role played by Sikh women in history and appealed to the audience to walk in the footsteps of the great Sikh Women – Mata Gujri and Mata Bhag Kaur, for saving the younger generation from deviating from the path shown by the Sikh Gurus. He thanked the conference attendees and honored the speakers by presenting them with Sikh Studies Award plaques.

During the duration of the conference, the Education and Interfaith committees of World Sikh Council – America Region, in collaboration with the Sikh Educational and Religious Foundation of Dublin, Ohio, arranged a Sikh literature display ranging from topics of Sikh theology and history to human rights.

The over 200 persons attending the conference came from the US states of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and British Columbia.

Digital photos of the conference, appropriate for publication in the media, can be requested by calling 614-395-9830 or e-mailing butalia.1@osu.edu.

Video recordings of this landmark Sikh conference, on women’s rights and responsibilities, can be obtained by contacting Mr. Kuldeep Singh, 419-304-6761, sikhs@accesstoledo.com.

World Sikh Council – America Region is the only representative body of Sikh institutions in the US. Its members include 28 Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) and 8 other Sikh institutions across 16 US states.