Wellington, May 21, 2019
Ekta New Zealand, a Wellington based community welfare organisation, recently launched a Free Meal Service to commemorate the 550th Birthday Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s, Founder of the Sikh Religion.
The launch ceremony held on May 18, 2019 under the ‘Guru Nanak Free Kitchen Wellington,’ is run jointly with ‘Coexistence’ and ‘Amma New Zealand.’
Food for the needy
Project Coordinator Jasvinder Kaur said that pre-packed meals will be provided to people in need every Saturday from 530 pm to 7 pm in front of the Reading Cinema in Courtney Place in the entertainment area of Central Wellington.
“Guru Nanak Dev Ji is regarded as ‘Guru’ by Muslims and Hindus as well. In fact, his teachings have made him a Guru for all humanity as they have been incorporated in the United Nations Faith for Rights Commitments,” she said.
The Programme will run for 30 weeks until Guru Nanak’s Dev Ji’s birth anniversary.
“Ekta hopes that the initiative will encourage others to come forward and do the same in a collaborative manner. Collaboration allows groups which may not be able to sustain this kind of activity for a long time, to cooperate and take it over a longer period, with each doing a few weeks,” she said.
The Granthi Sahib of Naenae Gurdwara Dalbir Singh launched the Programme with an Ardas.
He hoped that the initiative would encourage more people to step forward to carry-on with the essential mission of Baba Nanak of feeding the poor.
Hindu Council of New Zealand Executive Council Member Selva Ramasami blessed the initiative with a prayer for more ‘Barkat,’ ‘Ekta’ and ‘Shanti.’
Appropriate for Ramadan
Malaysian High Commissioner Nur Izzah Wong Mee Choo said, “Launching the Programme during the Holy Month of Ramadan is significant. I hope that other communities, particularly Muslims would also undertake such projects to show that they too care for the wider community.”
Ms Kaur said what was most fulfilling of the evening was hearing from some of the people that they were looking forward to our next distribution.
“It was very encouraging when a few young Indians who on their own volition volunteered to help out every week and to bring more items to add to the food that was being distributed,” she said.
For more information, please write to info@ekta.nz
Officials and guests at the inaugural ceremony
