Singapore Khalsa Association signature Vasakhi event

MEDIA RELEASE | SINGAPORE KHALSA ASSOCIATION

VESAKHI MELA 2018 – A SIGNATURE COMMUNITY EVENT FOR SOCIAL INTEGRATION

The Singapore Khalsa Association (SKA) will be organising its annual signature event, the Vesakhi Mela (Carnival) on Saturday 14 April 2018, from 0830 hours to 1700 hours, at the Association’s premises at 2 Tessensohn Road.

Vesakhi this year will be celebrated on 14 Apr 2018. Prayers will be held at the Sikh Temples to commemorate the birth of the Khalsa Panth (the Brotherhood of the Pure), a religious order of saint-soldiers.

The Guest of Honour for this year’s Vesakhi Mela is Ms Grace Foo Minister for Culture, Community and Youth.

The SKA has positioned the Vesakhi Mela as an inclusive event involving the wider Singapore community. Hence, the theme for this year’s Mela, “One Community, Embracing Diversity” supports the national focus of achieving greater social integration.

Supported by the People’s Association, National Integration Council and the Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC), the Vesakhi Mela 2018 reaches out to Singaporeans as well as non-Singaporeans. It provides a proven platform for all to better understand Sikhs and their festivities.

The Mela also serves as a useful avenue for new Singaporeans, foreign workers and their families to integrate and be part of the wider community in Singapore. This year, members of the immigrant associations have also been invited to participate in the Mela activities.

We expect about 3,000 visitors, both Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans, to the Vesakhi Mela.

Based on the theme, the activities for this event have been planned to enhance community cohesion through culture and sports, and to reinforce SKA’s efforts to integrate people of different ages, nationalities, and ethnicities. This year, students from the Punjabi Language centres are involved structured activities to drive home the message of Integration through Culture and Sports.

The main activities of the Mela include demonstration-cum-learning sessions on how to make traditional Punjabi chapattis (wheat bread), Chapati Wraps, age group games (soccer, hockey, netball) involving children, youths and adults, traditional food stalls, and stage shows. Cultural performances by multi-ethnic participants.

To promote excellence and recognise role models, the SKA will also continue to present awards to outstanding Sikh students at national milestone examinations, namely PSLE, ‘N’, ‘O’, & ‘A’ levels, and International Baccalaureate(IB), and excellence in sports at the national level.

Not forgetting our Punjabi Workers (Indian Nationals) who may not be able to join is in the celebration on Saturday, we have arranged for a cultural show by a troupe from Punjab and local performers on Sunday 15 April from 12noon to 5 pm. This is for them to celebrate Vesakhi while they are away from their families and loved ones.

[The above media release was received from the Singapore Khalsa Association]

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com] 18553

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