ON Sunday, November 23, at Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Surrey, the gurdwara management was presented with a framed copy of the official proclamation declaring November 24, 2025, as the 350th anniversary of the supreme martyrdom of the ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji.

Presenting at this formal ceremony were British Columbia’s Attorney General, Niki Sharma, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, Jesse Sunner, and Parliamentary Secretary Amna Shah.

Sunner and Shah shared remarks highlighting how the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji continues to inspire society to uphold human rights, protect religious freedom, and strengthen the principles of justice and community harmony. Later, Sharma, Sunner and Shah met with the congregation, engaging in thoughtful conversations and lending a hand in the langar hall.

The Proclamation read: “The government of British Columbia honours the history and culture of Sikhs in British Columbia and respects human rights and freedom for all, without religious discrimination, and whereas 2025 marks the 350th anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, who is revered for his willing sacrifice of his own life to uphold the religious rights of other faiths and protect the religious freedom of persecuted non-Sikh communities. In British Columbia, the 350th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur is an opportunity to honour his legacy and reaffirm the enduring need to uphold the values of pluralism, interfaith respect and human rights for all.”