Racism to Recognition/ਵਿਤਕਰੇ ਤੋਂ ਸਤਿਕਾਰ ਤੱਕ

The world sees Canada as a beautiful, welcoming and progressive country. While that is true, it is also a fact that like the most other developed countries, Canada too has its challenges of culturally conditioned minds with racism and discrimination that have and are making up its laws, policies and setting its cultural and social norms. Like most immigrants, I too had to struggle a lot and am still struggling to fight the racism in this country to establish my roots, assist others in doing the same and making this a more welcoming country.

(ਉੱਪਰੋਂ ਦੇਖੀਏ ਤਾਂ ਕਨੇਡਾ ਬਹੁਤ ਸੁਥਰਾ ਦੇਸ ਹੈ। ਸੱਚ ਇਹ ਵੀ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇਥੇ ਜੜਾਂ ਲਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੇ ਬਹੁਤਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਸਲਵਾਦੀ ਗੋਰਿਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਲੜ ਅੜ, ਬਹੁਤ ਮਿਹਨਤ ਕਰ ਬਣਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਲੈਣੇ ਪਏ ਨੇ। ਜਦੋਂ ਕੱਲ ਕਨੇਡਾ ਦੀ ਪਾਰਲੀਮੈਂਟ ਨੇ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਪਾਤਸ਼ਾਹ ਦਾ ਜਨਮਪੁਰਬ ਸਤਿਕਾਰ ਨਾਲ ਮਨਾਇਆ ਤਾਂ ਗਦਰੀ ਬਾਬਿਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੀਆਂ ਅੱਗੇ ਸਿਰ ਝੁਕਿਆ। ਕਨੇਡਾ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ, ਜਸਟਿਸ ਟਰੂਡੋ ਨੇ ਸਭ ਸਿੱਖ ਜਗਤ ਨੂੰ ਮੁਬਾਰਕਬਾਦ ਦਿੱਤੀਆਂ। ਦੋ MP ਐਮਪੀਆਂ ਨੇ 7 ਸਾਲਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੀ ਸੇਧ ਲੈ ਤੁਰਿਆ Our Global Village Charitable Foundation ਦੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਣ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਨਸਲਵਾਦੀ ਵਿਤਕਰੇ ਤੋਂ ਸਤਿਕਾਰ ਦਾ ਇਹ ਅਹਿਮ ਸਫਰ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੀ ਸੁੱਚੀ ਸੋਚ ਦੀ ਬਰਕਤ ਹੈ। )

On Nov 30, 2020, during a virtual celebration, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada congratulated the world on the celebration of Guru Nanak Dev's guru purab and recognized a few chosen societies from Canada who have done outstanding service during Covid19 pandemic. It was an absoluete honor that Our Global Village Charitable Foundation was recognized for promoting and practicing the virtues of Human rights and serving the community with compassion and vision that was taught and practiced by Guru over 500 years ago.

Two Members of Parliament, respectable Sukh Dhaliwal, MP Surrey Newton and Respectable Randeep Sarai, MP Surrey Centre recognized the dedicated work of our team during this virtual celebration across Canada.

We thank Sukh Dhaliwal, and Randeep Singh Sarai who like thousands and thousands have witnessed our years of service from the hosting walks to defend the rights of students and their parents during Teachers strikes, making history by hosting first ever political debate that was open to public in 2015 in Surrey, first ever political dialogue that was held in 2019 before the last federal elections and countless events on Green economy, inter- racial peace, parenting seminars, anti drug and gang workshops, years of service of the homeless community of Surrey, dedicated events for seniors, mental wellness initiatives, organ donation drives, emphasis on nurturing relationships to build stronger families and stronger community, over seven months of dedicated mask making project and now giving away high visibility reflector vests for our seniors to save their lives.

Much gratitude and appreciation to those supporters and donors who have kept faith in each and every project we have done. We could not have done all this without you. We promise you that we are here to serve, and will fullfil all your high expectations of us.

Personally this journey from racism to recognition has been a powerful one and very telling of where we are going as a nation on the path of supporting Human rights.

Together we can, together we will.

Meera Gill

Ourglobalvillage.ca (Due to limited resources, the site is yet not fully updated. volunteers,supporters and believers in humanity have impacted many more lives than what have been covered in the site )

Sukh Dhaliwal, Member of Parliament, Canada -Surrey Newton

Randeep Sarai, Member of Parliament, Canada, Surrey Centre