Gearing towards Sikh Environment Day 2014

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January 2014 Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!     An Appeal to all Gurdwaras, Organisations, Institutions & Members of the Sangat. Celebrate the Sikh Environment Day, the Gurgaddi Diwas of Guru Har Rai Ji and create awareness about the Sikh environment teachings and take action for nature conservation!    Sikh Environment Day March 14, 2014 Pay Tribute to Guru Har Rai Sahib & Take Action!                               Guru Har Rai ji inspired Sikhs to care for nature and his legacy provides one of the most inspiring models for our ecological consciousness An Invitation: EcoSikh invites you and your Gurdwara/ Institution to join Sikhs all over the world in celebrating March 14th as 4th Sikh Environment Day. This important day marks the New Year in the Sikh calendar and the Gurgaddi Diwas of our Seventh Guru, Sri Guru Har Rai Ji, who is remembered in Sikh history for his deep sensitivity to nature and its preservation.  Help us reach the goal of 2000! A Goal of 2,000: This year, we have set an ambitious target of 2,000 Sikh bodies marking this day with major initiatives, ranging from tree planting, to clean-ups, bicycle rallies, water campaigns to start initiatives to ban plastics and disposables and switching to steel thalis, to plant gardens, and switching to organic food. We also encourage Sikh businesses to take green measures to make their companies green to mark this special day. Volunteers: We look forward to all the interested young and adult members of the sangat from all over India and the diaspora to come forward and organize green events and take green initiatives in their own gurdwaras, schools and localities as part of this huge sewa project. This will be perhaps one of the largest direct action by Sikhs to save Mother Earth (Maata Dharth). To volunteer click here.  Gurdwaras and their role in spreading the message of Guru Har Rai ji: Since 2011, on March 14th, hundreds of Gurdwaras across India, the United States, Canada, England, Australia, and the world have taken part in this celebration by singing shabads focused on the environment, holding ceremonial tree plantings, and encouraging children to share reflections on the environment and Sikhism with the sangat. Gurdwaras around the world are also coming up with their own creative ways to celebrate the day, through children's environmental art displays, environmental nagar kirtans, recycling drives for used goods, and by creatively reducing the use of energy and water. Only Sikhs do it!: It is a sheer joy to share the pride of being the only community in the world who has one such special day in a year when we get together; think, plan and act for environmental preservation and conservation.   Please register your individual or institutional participation by the following link: Registration form Every Gurdwara can make a difference! We believe that every Gurdwara can make a difference in sharing the message of 'Pavan Guru, Pani Pita, Mata Dharat Mahat' with their sangats. By joining the celebrations, you will be helping in restoring peoples' relationship to the air, land, and water systems through careful reflection on the words of the Sikh Gurus enshrined in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Please feel free to contact the EcoSikh team with any questions. We look forward to hear from you. Guru Ang Sang !! Dr. Rajwant Singh President EcoSikh rajwant@aol.com +1-202-460-0630 Washington DC,  USA Ravneet Singh Project Manager EcoSikh ravneet.singh@ecosikh.org +91-998-837-3268 India Bandana Kaur Program Ambassador Special Initiatives Diaspora bandana.kaur@ecosikh.org +1-917-326-9222 NY, USA Satvir Kaur SED Intern EcoSikh satvir.kaur@ecosikh.org +91-998-888-7268 India Tarundeep Singh Program Administrator Eco-Amritsar tarundeep.singh@ecosikh.org +91-950-183-7700 India Sikh Environment Day-2013: Our past Sikh Environment Day celebrations have been a huge success and have received much support worldwide. Read the success of Sikh Environment Day 2013. Pictures from the past Sikh Environment Day:   Flower Show by Gurdwara Sarabha Nagar-Ludhiana Plantation at Naulakha Garden by SGPC & Ganga Nursery-Kiratpur Sahib                                    Environment Rally Gurmat Gian Missionary College-Ludhiana Eco-Assembly at DSGMC School-New Delhi                   Plantation Drive-China Nature & Sikhi Presentation-Orange County                 Celebrations at Nankana Sahib-Pakistan Painting Contests-Malaysia Clean up by Sikh Green Team Australia Plantation by Sikh youth-Elk Grove, California                 Khalsa School-New York Kirtan on Nature-Houston, Texas                             Langar in Steel Thalis- Orange County   Plantation by Sikh Youth-Kashmir                               Kids on Environment Day-GNFA Maryland Signature Campaign-GNFA Maryland                             Kirtan on Nature-GGSF Maryland Environmental celebrations-GGSF Maryland                               Park Clean up by all faiths-Gurdwara Behala Kolkata Road Clean up-Khalsa School Kolkata                             Guru Har Rai Painting by National Artist  RM Singh, Chandigarh   Aarti Painting by National Artist Arpana Caur, New Delhi                                         Sikhi & Environment Exhibition-Ohio Talk show on Ik Onkar Channel-Canada                                 Interfaith Conference by Pakistan Sikh Council-Karachi, Pakistan Celebrations at Khalsa College, Ba Fiji                                 Links below for Gurbani Resources, Power Point Presentation for Gurdwaras/ workplace and classroom material for schools: A PowerPoint slide show for your Gurdwara or Institute (PDF) in Punjabi and English Ten minutes Eco-prayer for Nature for Schools (PDF) in Punjabi and English Classroom readout papers for Elementary, Middle and High School students in English. Poster/Flyer for Sikh Environment Day in English (4mb) and Punjabi (4mb) for notice board Pledge form for Sangat; a sign up for environment care. Sikh Environment Day Guide in English and in Punjabi (for more ideas on Sikh Environment Day) Plus a Gurbani Kirtan Booklet  (shabads on theme of Nature) to be sung on Sikh Environment Day  Resolution by the Five Takhats for Sikh Environment Day: In March 2013, all the five takhats (spiritual seats of authority in Sikhism) endorsed and passed a resolution that Gurgaddi Diwas (coronation day ) of the 7th Sikh Guru, Guru Har Rai, should be celebrated as a Sikh Environment Day each year especially 'in light of the rising global environmental crisis'. Read the original message in Punjabi from Sri Akal Takhat Sahib.    After the celebrations: You can share your stories, pictures and videos to us for an online exhibition on EcoSikh website.     Please join the campaign NOW! Support the efforts of EcoSikh by becoming a Volunteer or with your kind donations     Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.

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Global Citizens Join EcoSikh's Initiatives... A progress update

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October 2013 Dharat Suhavi: Volume 3 Issue 6 Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! 1. Four years of Sikh environmentalism caught on a film. ASalute to Sikhs worldwide.   We have created a short film to celebrate the impressive achievements of EcoSikh since it's launch 4 years ago. This global environmental network which was created by a small team is supported by the enormous network of Sikhs around the world - determined to play their part in protecting our beautiful mother earth. EcoSikh - Four Years of this incredible journey charts the progress of EcoSikh since 2009, when US based ' Sikh Council on Religion and Education' (SCORE) partnered with UK based ' Alliance of Religions and Conservation' (ARC) and the ' United Nations Development Programme' (UNDP). Their response was to the challenge posed by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon where he called on the various religions of the world to become more active in promoting care for the environment. Some religions had taken on that challenge; but many had not realized that environmentalism was at the heart of their teachings. Yet the need for religions to take action had never been greater. EcoSikh was launched that same year and thanks to a small amount of seed funding from the Government of Norway, a pilot group was able to create a Five Year Plan on the environment outlining changes needed to enable Sikhs to take action on the environment. The plan included the creation of a dedicated EcoSikh Organisation, and submitted a 5 Year Plan on the environment to HE Ban Ki Moon and HRH Prince Philip (ARC's founder) at the 'Many Heavens, One Earth' celebration at Windsor Castle, UK. A year later one full time and one part time member of staff were appointed to bring the Five Year Plan into action. The film shows how, from that point on, EcoSikh's limited staff & resources have been used to grow a worldwide network within the Sikh community that is committed to follow the example of Guru Har Rai ji, the seventh Sikh Guru whose love for Creation led him to nurture plants and animals and make special gardens for them. His example led EcoSikh to create Sikh Environment Day, an annual event held on March 14 – the enthronement day of Guru Har Rai ji.   2. News from Guru-ki-nagri, Amritsar This year for the first time EcoSikh sent an initial appeal to the Sikh community and all the Gurdwaras in Amritsar to commemorate the Gurpurab of Guru Ramdas Ji in a green way. This is part of Amritsar's commitment to be part of the Green Pilgrimage Network, an international network of places that are sacred to religions around the world, and which attract pilgrims and want to use that to help them become more environmentally aware.   The two days of events included a Green Religious Procession or Nagar Kirtan Eco-Amritsar planned a clean-up operation in the surroundings (galliara ) of the Golden Temple at the same time as the 2.5 kilometre-long Sikh religious procession which was organized in collaboration with SGPC, Punjab Tourism, MC Amritsar and Voice of Amritsar. Watch the much inspirational video from the nagar kirtan. The major part of cleaning sewa during the nagar kirtan was undertaken by a team of over 60 volunteers from the nearby villages of Ajnala (led by Baba Kulwant Singh) as well as students of Khalsa College of Engineering and Technology, Amritsar, and many Sikhs who joined whole-heartedly when they saw the volunteers taking part in this inspirational action. Elder sewadars from villages and young student volunteers collected garbage from roads in recycled bags and loaded them on trolleys provided by the SGPC and Municipality Corporation of Amritsar. Eco Amritsar also created leaflets in Punjabi about 'Five steps to Green food distribution langar' and shared them with food stalls along the route. The aim was to bring awareness about the growing problem of garbage in the holy city. The five steps are: Along with food distribution, install trash containers close to food stalls Arrage for additional volunteers at stalls for the special sewa of garbage collection, please consider using recycled bin bags for trash collection Prefer leaf plates instead of plastic and Styrofoam, as leaf plates are bio-degradable whereas the latter do not decompose for one million years Make sure that the procession route is cleaned after the procession. Part of our sewa is to leave the roads clean and tidy The garbage collected should be delivered to the city Municipal Corporation Click here to read more about this event... Celebrating Amritsar's founder's birth anniversary in an Eco-way We discovered a unique way as a humble tribute to our beloved Guru, Guru Ramdas ji, who was so passionate to protect the wonders of the Creation. In one of his writings of Guru ji says; Jo Bolath Hai Mrig Meen Pankhaeroo So Bin Har Jaapath Hai Nehee Hor ||3||... (P-1265, SGGS),    which means that all the species of air, land, and water, chant and praise the Almighty.   Collaborating with the 75-year-old bird lover and birdhouse maker, Dara Singh from Tarn Taran (click here for Dara Singh’s message), the Eco-Amritsar team invited different religious places in the city to commemorate Guru Ramdas ji's gurpurab by welcoming birds to the holy city. A variety of religious communities responded positively, and opened their doors to the idea and the action. Birdhouses were installed at Sri Harmandir Sahib (the Golden Temple) complex, Radhe Krishna Hindu Temple at Rani ka bag, Khairuddin Mosque Hall Bazar, St. Mary's Church Gumtala road and Miri-Piri Academy at their campuses. The aim was to welcome parrots, doves and other native bird species of Punjab, which don't make their own nests but used the modest spaces in the old architected buildings, such as brick spaces in the non-cemented outer walls, windows etc, which they no more found in the newest buildings designs. Read more about the Gurpurab celebrations at Amritsar...   3. New EcoSikh team member Finally we'd like to introduce our newest team member, Tarundeep Singh. Tarundeep is the Program Administrator for the Eco-Amritsar initiative. Tarundeep is charged with driving the vision of the Green Pilgrimage Network in Amritsar since July 2013. Based in Amritsar, he comes with a track record in the Education & Organisational management and with a deep interest in Sikhi. His qualifications include a Bachelor degree in Business Administration, Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering. He also has an MBA with Honours. We expect he will leverage this training by bringing in entrepreneurial and planning skills to this project. Our mission is to engage the citizens of Amritsar - at a religious, social and political level to improve the city's ecology. Amritsar - My City, My Pride, My Responsibility! Tarundeep, his wife, and 3 year old daughter live together with their parents. "I love my city Amritsar because it connects me to Guru Ramdas ji, and as an EcoSikh, I  strive to extend this respectable connection to all my fellow citizens and bring them close to nature as any resident of this city should be." Says Tarundeep.   These are humble beginnings...we pray that this work gains more traction and momentum with all Sikhs worldwide...   Signed the EcoSikh team…  Support us! Donate with EcoSikh and help us grow. You are currently subscribed as: nimratk.nimrat@blogger.com Your email preference is currently set to: HTML To change your options, or to unsubscribe, click here:. 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