Guru Nanak Jahaz Remembrance Day organized in Surrey

The City of Surrey hosted a special ceremony on Wednesday, July 23, to mark Guru Nanak Jahaz Remembrance Day, honouring Sikh migration history and the contributions of early pioneers.

The event, organized by the Guru Nanak Jahaz Society and Wanjara Nomad Collections, drew community members of all ages to Surrey City Hall, alongside representatives from all three levels of government.

Mayor Brenda Locke’s proclamation was presented by councillors Harry Bains, Linda Ennis, and Mandeep Nagra to Jagmeet Singh Khalra, great-grandson of human rights defender Bhai Harnam Singh Khalra. Proclamations were also shared with local Gurdwaras, Khalsa School, and community organizations.

Among the officials present were MPs Sukh Dhaliwal and Gurbaksh Saini, MLAs Amna Shah, Mandeep Dhaliwal, Harman Bhangu, Gary Bagg, Jodi Toor, and Senator Baltej Dhillon. Students from Khalsa School also performed Gatka martial arts.

In his remarks, MLA Garry Begg praised community efforts in keeping the history alive: “Forever this day will be remembered because thoughtful people like you made sure that it became an issue in the House of Commons and in city hall.”

Along with this, proclamations were also presented to various Gurdwara Sahibs and Khalsa School, as well as other committees and personalities.

Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives Amna Shah, MLA emphasized the importance of telling history through lived experience: “It’s important that history be told by those who were the subjects of it and not by the powers that may have been at the time. It is your mothers, your fathers, your grandfathers, your grandmothers who tell that story every single day through you.”

Organizers told Connect FM the remembrance is about educating youth: “Guru Nanak Jahaz represents the sacrifices and journeys of our ancestors. We want young people to carry this history forward,” said one society member.

Community attendees told Connect FM the event was both emotional and educational, reinforcing the need for such cultural recognition in Canada’s diverse society.

Sources: On-site reporting by Connect FM News; quotes from elected officials and organizers at the event.