Culture / Kicking Off 2021 In The Best Way: Khalsa Aid Makes History With Nobel Prize Nomination

Kicking Off 2021 In The Best Way: Khalsa Aid Makes History With Nobel Prize Nomination

Culture Jan 20, 2021

by Hina P. Ansari

Khalsa Aid is a NGO based in the U.K. that has been working on various humanitarian missions for over 20 years. They have now been nominated for the Nobel Prize thanks to three Canadian politicians, showing all of us that yes, 2021 is definitely a better year!

Every September, The Norwegian Nobel Committee which handles the Nobel Prize, announces their open call for nominations. With their February 1st deadline fast approaching, three Canadian politicians took action. Namely, Edmonton MP Tim S. Uppal, Mayor of Brampton Patrick Brown and the MPP for Brampton South Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria wrote a joint letter of nomination to the Chair Ms. Berit Reiss-Andersen expressing in great detail why Khalsa Aid is worthy of the esteemed prize.

**Khalsa Aid Makes History With Nobel Prize Nomination: The official nomination letter penned by the three Canadian politicians**. Photo Credit: www.twitter.com

All three also announced their gesture via twitter, which quickly caught the attention of various supporters of Khalsa Aid including that of founder Ravi Singh.

**Khalsa Aid Makes History With Nobel Prize Nomination: MPP Parbmeet Sarkaria tweets out his support.** Photo Credit: www.twitter.com

Khalsa Aid Makes History With Nobel Prize Nomination: Canadian nominators tweet out their support. Photo Credit: www.twitter.com — **Khalsa Aid Makes History With Nobel Prize Nomination: Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown twitted out his support**. Photo Credit: www.twitter.com

Khalsa Aid is seen as the first cross-border international NGO which is based on the Sikh philanthropic principle of “Sarbat da bhala’ (well-being of all). It was the plight of the Bosnia refugees in 1999 that sparked Singh to help. Regardless of race, religion or geography, Khalsa Aid has been on the ground serving various aid to countless people in far off places.

Whilst the inspiration for the charity stems from a strong belief in the Sikh principles, our work is by no means restricted to the Sikh community. Khalsa Aid became the first ever cross-border international humanitarian aid organization based on the Sikh principles.

According to their Khalsa Aid, “Since 1999, we have been able to provide crucial aid to millions of people around the world: from victims of the Yemen Civil War to refugees landing on the shores of Greece from the Middle East and, more recently, the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar seeking refuge in Bangladesh; to earthquake, flood and hurricane-stricken areas in Nepal, Australia, and the Caribbean. Closer to home, our teams have helped residents in the UK cope with the devastating floods that swept through Cumbria and the south-west of England; and we were there to support the families who escaped the horrific fire at Grenfell Tower in London.” Khalsa Aid has also been active supporting and serving the farmers in India during the current nationwide strike.

Since 1901 The Nobel Committee have been honouring various recipients from all spaces who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses,” according the Nobel website. Last year they received over 200 nominations for organizations from all over the world.

The award is handed out during October through December of each year. Finalists aren’t traditionally announced but there is usually a spectator sport in terms of who may have made the short list.

We are thrilled for Ravi Singh and Khalsa Aid and wish them all the luck with this nomination!

If you haven’t read the profile we did on Ravi Singh for The ANOKHI PASSION List 2019, check it out here!

Main Image Photo Credit: www.mensxp.com

Hina P. Ansari

Author

Hina P. Ansari is a graduate from The University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario). Since then she has carved a successful career in Canada's national fashion-publishing world as the Entertainment/Photo Editor at FLARE Magazine, Canada's national fashion magazine. She was the first South Asian in...

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Kicking Off 2021 In The Best Way: Khalsa Aid Makes History With Nobel Prize Nomination

by Hina P. Ansari

Hina P. Ansari

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