Consulate General of India

New York

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For the very first time the Consulate in collaboration with Milan Cultural Association had organized an event to celebrate and commemorate the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh on October 26, 2017 at the Hartford University, Connecticut. The event’s highlight was a discussion by 5 panelists who shared Guru Gobind Singhji’s message of a peaceful Coexistence. 

The panelists were leading experts in their respective fields, comprising of -

• Senior Pastor, Reverend Stephen W. Camp, M.Div. Faith Congregational Church Hartford

• Reverend Guimond Pierre Louis, International Peace Program Fellow at the Hartford Seminary

• Mr. Darshan Singh Bajwa, Tax Advisor Aetna, Trustee Guru Nanak Darbar, Southington Connecticut

• Dr. Chittaranjan Sahay Ph.D, PE Vernon D. Roosa Distinguished Professor Director, Center for Manufacturing and Metrology

• Mr. K. Devdasan Nair, Consul (Community Affairs) CGI, New York

It was a highly appreciated thought provoking discussion talking about the world battling war and violence and deadly conflicts tearing across communities around the Globe and to understand Why and When it happens, what should be done to bring Global peace. 

Their discussion can be summarized as- 

Rev.Stephen Camp message: - Religion means love, love and service. Love your neighbor. 

Rev. Guimond Pierre Louis: - Compassion and efforts for reducing the disparity between rich and poor a big need. 

Mr. Darshan Singh Bajwa: - He was hitting at the core of the problems that preachers should speak that the message of all the Prophets, Messiahs and Nabis are the same 'Love and help the needy." 

Dr. Chittaranjan Sahay: - He conveyed that we can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves. 

Mr. K. Devdasan Nair, Consul (CA): - His message of understanding communities’ needs and readiness to learn from each other, without claiming that we alone possess all truth, along with the chanting of "Om Shanti ' together with the audience appropriately touched the wakeup call for peaceful coexistence. 

The carry home message of this panel discussion was “Peace cannot be kept by force and hate; It can only be achieved by understanding and respect for others." 

The event was a huge success and was well attended by the students and the community members, who were enthusiastic to host it every year so as to share and imbibe the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh.