Good Will Walk Against Violence by United Sikhs in Vancouver on October 25

   Mejindarpal Kaur of United Sikhs raising awareness about the Good Will Walk Against Violence at the Sikh Academy in Surrey.

 
Mejindarpal Kaur of United Sikhs raising awareness about the Good Will Walk Against Violence at the Sikh Academy in Surrey.

 

The Good Will Walk Against Violence

Date:  Saturday, October 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Starting Point: The Totem Poles, Brockton Point, Stanley Park, Vancouver

Ending Point: The Komagata Maru Memorial Site, Coal Harbour, Vancouver

 

THE November 1984 planned attacks against Sikhs in Delhi and throughout India are still open wounds. Surviving widows and orphaned children have not received justice, and their voices have not been heard. “Where Are Our Dead” is a United Sikhs documentary that reminds people that the November 1984 violence continues today.

However, learning from these acts of atrocity, the Sikhs as a community stand with all victims of violence: hate crime, domestic violence, bullying, drugs, suicide, human trafficking, disappearances, war or genocide. In this spirit, the United Sikhs announced on Tuesday that it is organizing a Good Will Walk Against Violence on, Saturday, October 25 in Vancouver which will be hosted by the Sikh community of B.C. who will walk to commemorate the 30th  Anniversary of the November 1984 Sikh Genocide.

B.C. Premier Christy Clark has been invited to inaugurate the walk. United Sikhs is inviting participants from the First Nation, congregants from mosques, churches, temples and synagogues, students and NGOs who serve victims of violence. United Sikhs has joined forces with local leaders and organizations to ensure that all cross-sections of the community are well represented in this walk whose slogan is ‘End the Silence on Violence.’

“Today we are witnessing the continuing violence against innocent victims in Gaza, Syria, Iraq and Ukraine; continued violence against women; and against children traded for slavery and sex. In the response to this we cannot remain silent and so we stand up and say ‘No’,” said Mejindarpal Kaur, United Sikhs International Legal Director, who is organizing the walk.

“All forms of violence are bad. And when we remain silent about it we are as guilty as the violent person. I am participating in the Good Will Walk Against Violence because I want to show that I am thriving after surviving horrendous abuse,” said Kamal Kaur Dhillon, whose own experience has made her an award-winning international author-advocate against violence.

United Sikhs says it has received a very good response from gurdwaras in B.C. who will prepare vegetarian roti roll langar which will be served to the public during the walk to promote the community spirit and humanitarianism. They will also arrange for their congregation members to join the Good Will Walk Against Violence. It is also visiting all the Sikh community schools to enroll students for the Good Will Walk Against Violence. It has requested each Sikh walker to invite a non-Sikh neighbour, colleague or friend to join the walk to ensure that a cross-section of the community walks to uphold the walk’s slogan: ‘End the Silence on Violence.’

Email: gww-canada@unitedsikhs.org

View a poster of film screenings during these presentations here