BY BALWANT SANGHERA
INDIA Cultural Centre of Canada’s Gurdwara Nanak Niwas has been running a Punjabi school for the past several years. At the conclusion of each school year, students with assistance from their teacher share with their parents, grandparents and the gurdwara management their learning experiences. They are presented with Certificates of Participation by the gurdwara. In a sense, everyone looks forward to this year-end celebration. Like previous years, this year again, the students were excited to share their stories and other experiences at a function held at the gurdwara on Sunday, June 24.
The student recital of poems, stories, Gurbani, the Punjabi alphabet and numbers, names of the 10 Gurus of Sikhism and various other items were well received by the attendees. Their teacher, Harpreet Kaur, thanked the gurdwara management for making it possible for the children to learn Punjabi in a very relaxed environment.
The gurdwara management is very pleased to host this very worthwhile program. It appreciates the commitment of students, their parents and grandparents for their interest in learning Punjabi. Our children should be encouraged to be proud of the language of their ancestors and their heritage. As co-ordinator of the Punjabi Program at the Gurdwara, I am very pleased to see so much interest in the Punjabi language amongst our children, their parents and grandparents. In this context, I would like to thank a number of volunteers including Ranbir and Gary Dhaliwal. Also, I would like to thank the gurdwara management committee and our photographer Sukhi Dhillon of Singh Video. On behalf of the gurdwara management, Kashmir Kaur Johal presented Certificates of Participation and cash awards to the students. Everyone was treated to light refreshments including vegetarian pizzas and a delicious vegetarian langar. The children will now get a break for the months of July and August. Punjabi classes will resume on Sunday, September 9 at the gurdwara. Sometime before that, parents will be invited to the gurdwara for registration, etc. On behalf of the gurdwara management I would like to thank the students, parents, grandparents, teacher as well as the volunteers for a very successful school year for Punjabi.
