On Thursday, 14th January 2010, 50 community groups and 300 braved the icy weather of London to come together and launch ‘National Sewa Day’ at the Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple in Stanmore, London. At the historic event, cultural, religious, caste, youth, sports & health groups pledged to organise activities that promote social action and volunteering for their members on 21st November 2010 – which is the first National Sewa Day (NSD).
On behalf of Sewa International (UK) – the coordinating organisation behind National Sewa Day, Mr. Arup Ganguly, said: “We are humbled with the level of support that this idea has attracted and hope and welcome more community groups and individuals will join hands with us to make National Sewa Day a success in 2010.”
All projects must abide with three governing principles: (1) to relieve hardship & poverty, (2) to bring a little joy where none exists, (3) to help the environment. Projects will vary and encompass all age and ability groups. The two rules that will apply universally are (a) each task must not take up more than one day to complete and (b) no fund‐raising takes place on NSD.
At the event, the following spoke:
Ms. Bharti Tailor, Secretary General of the Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) offered their support. She said:
“HFB supports the National Sewa Day concept fully, and will give all the practical support it can. Let us change the perception of our community with National Sewa Day. Let us make a difference.”
Ms. Jaswinder Kalsi, Assistant General Secretary of the Namdhari Sikh Sangat, spoke of the centrality of public service (sewa) in the Sikh religion. She said:
“It will be an honour for us to take part in your plans for National Sewa Day, to not only raise awareness of the meaning of Seva, but our duty, collectively and individually, to take part in seva for the good of the community as a whole.”
Ms. Laura Marks, Founder of Mitzvah Day – which is the Jewish community’s equivalent, spoke about their experience in bringing communities together, which in 2009 amounted to over 15,000 people performing sewa on the same day. Noticing the enthusiasm of the audience, she concluded her speech by observing:
“The enthusiasm, commitment, energy and great spirit of the National Sewa Day team is inspirational. We are proud to be asked and humbled by the size and scale of your launch. What a movement this is going to be.”
The Mitzvah day delegation brought a written message from Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks, in which he conveyed:
“Britain has been richly blessed by its Hindu community, and I personally feel deep affection and admiration for its members who have given us so much that has enriched our lives. How beautiful too that it is dedicating a day to helping others, for this is religion at its best. We believe, as Hindus believe, in being true to our faith while being a blessing to others regardless of their faith. The Divine presence lives in the good we do.”
Mr Arup Ganguly concluded by saying: “Today marks a very important day, as the founding organisations’ give us confidence to work in partnership with groups all across the country to reduce hardship & poverty, to help our environment, and to bring a little joy all through volunteering – not by fund raising. It is a way for all of us to make our mark regardless of our affiliation, level of religious conviction, wealth, age, sex or nationality.”
NOTES:
Media requests: contact Arup Ganguly on 07788 598723.
If you’re an organisation that would like more information on how you could be involved, please contact Anand Vyas on 07957 197527.
You can access more information on: www.nationalsewaday.org.
The founding organisations include:
• Aashiana
• Aden Depala Mitra Mandal
• Age Concern (Brent)
• Art of Living Foundation
• Atmavignan Dada Bhagwan Foundation
• Balagokulum, Borehamwood
• Balagokulum, Leeds
• Brahma Kumaris
• Brahmbandhu Society UK
• Canons Gujarati School
• Chinmaya Mission
• City Hindus Network
• Hindu Forum of Britain
• HSS Madhav Shakha, Edgware
• HSS Arjun Shakha, Kenton
• HSS Pratap Shakha, Finchley
• HSS Haqeeqat Shakha, Wembley
• HSS Keshav Shakha, Kenton
• HSS Shakti Shakha, South Harrow
• Hindu Sevika Samiti, Jijabai, Edgware
• Hindu Sevika Samiti, Shakti, Finchley
• Hindu Sevika Samiti, Laxmi, Kenton
• Hindu Sevika Samiti, Mirabai, Wembley
• Hindu Sevika Samiti, Durga, South Harrow
• International Society for Krishna Consciousness
• Jalaram Mandir, Greenford
• Mandhata Mandal
• Middlesex Association for the Blind
• Milton Keynes Hindu Association
• Namdhari Sikh Sangat
• National Hindu Students Forum
• Navnat Association of UK
• Navnat Youth Association
• Navjivan Vadil Kendra
• National Congress of Gujarati Associations
• OneCause
• Oshwal Association of UK
• Patanjali Yog Peeth
• Sangat Centre, Harrow
• Sansaar
• Shishu Kunj
• Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, Golders Green
• Shree Kutch Leva Patel Samaj
• Sai School of Harrow
• Shri Satya Sai Service Organisation
• Sewa – Inspire: The Women’s Network (Pinner & Hatch End branch)
• Vanza Society
• Yogi Divine Society