First time, a US-based Sikh leader, Dr Rajwant Singh was invited to join President George W Bush at White House prayer
Washington, May 9, 2004 President George W Busha invited NRI Sikh leader, Dr Rajwant Singh to join prayer at White House. Dr Rajwant Singh, Chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) said, ''The President personally thanked me for being there at the White House.'' Chief of the Bangalore-based Art of Living Foundation, Mr. Ravi Shankar was the Indian religious leader who attended the service. Dr Rajwant Singh has been invited at the White House several times by both Mr Bill Clinton and Mr Bush. ''It is important that we offer prayers for the benefit of everyone. This is the only way to create a sense of togetherness among all people. I am honoured to be invited to this important institution which sends a signal that this administration welcomes all faiths to the White House.''This also indicates that Sikhs are part and parcel of the American mainstream,'' Dr Singh added. In 1952, the US Congress created a National Day of Prayer under President Harry Truman and invitied people of all faiths to pray for the country. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan affixed it to the first Thursday in May. November 8, 2003, President George W. Bush has sent his warm greetings to Sikhs across America and worldwide on the 534th birth-anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. The Sikh community in the U.S. is celebrating this auspicious occasion on Saturday, November 8, 2003 in their respective congregations. President Bush in his message, said, I send greetings to those celebrating the 534th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak. President Bush further added, As the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak
taught the ideas of interfaith acceptance and meditation. Through their
dedication to service, humility, family, and equality, Sikhs enrich communities
across America and worldwide. This celebration helps Sikhs pass on values
and customs to future generations. Washington Sep. 1995- For the first time in its 15-year history, the Interfaith Conference (IFC) of Metropolitan Washington, Dr. Rajwant Singh (Sikh) Elected President of US Interfaith Organization Dr. Rajwant Singh (33), an area dentist, who is the secretary of the
Guru Gobind Singh Foundation here, was unanimously elected to President
for two years. And, in yet another first for the organization, a Hindu,
Dr. Siva Subramanian, who is a physician with the Georgetown University
Hospital, was elected vice-president. The Rev. Clark Lobenstine, IFC executive
director, said, This is the first Sikh and Hindu presidency
of the organization, whose presidents since 1978 have been Protestant
and Catholic clergy - usually bishops and rabbis Mr Singh has been active in the interfaith activities since 1987. He has organised the Sikh participation in interfaith conferences in Wichita, Kansas 1987 and Seattle, Washington, in 1991. In January 1990, he represented the Sikh faith in a global conference on Environment in Moscow which was hosted by M. Gorbachev, the then Soviet President. Currently he is also the member of the board of directors of North American Interfaith Network SCORE (Sikh Council On Religion and Education)
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