NZ interfaith food distribution for Guru Nanak’s birthday

By Asia Samachar Team | NEW ZEALAND |

More than 200 people turned up for an interfaith food distribution at the Wellington Cenotaph, located next to New Zealand Parliament buildings, to commemorate 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

The multi faith event on 12 Nov 2019, led by charitable organisation Ekta New Zealand Inc, saw leaders of the various faiths speaking and saying prayers before joining in to distribute the vegetarian food to the lunch time crowd.

Several local MPs and the Deputy Commissioner of Police New Zealand participated and distributed the langar.

“Our purpose was to give meaning to Guru Ji’s teaching Awal Allah Noor Upaya Kudrat Kay Sub Banday,” Jasvinder Kaur of Ekta told Asia Samachar. “We wanted the idea of inclusiveness that Babaji to be seen by Wellingtonians and the best way to do so was to do it through a lunch time langar.”

The event was held in collaboration with the Indian High Commission in Wellington, Coexistence and Amma.

“Everyone who partook in the langar and passers-by were absolutely taken in by the idea. Everyone gave a thumbs up and said more of such activities should be undertaken,” said Jasvinder.

Ekta NZ also made a donation to the Wellington Night Shelter which provides accommodation to the homeless in the city.

The event included representatives of the Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Ahmadiyya-Muslim and Hindu communities, as well as members from Hindu Council of New Zealand, Maori, Pakeha, Christian, Anglican and Chinese Anglican Churches, according to a local newspaper report.

The Indian High Commission was represented by its second secretary Paramjeet Singh.

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