UNITED SIKHS  12th Annual Summit and Advocacy & Humanitarian Aid Academy (AHAA) Concludes With Great Success

New York, NY

The recently concluded 12th Annual Summit and Advocacy & Humanitarian Aid Academy (AHAA), organized by UNITED SIKHS International Civil and Human Rights Advocacy (ICHRA), marked a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice, equality, and human rights for the Sikh community and humanity.

United States Attorney Ms. Dena J. King speaking at the Summit and AHAA Academy.

Held from July 10th to 14th, 2023, the summit brought together elected officials, notable experts, and distinguished speakers from various fields to engage in meaningful discussions, share insights, and explore strategies to address the challenges faced by Sikhs and other minorities.

Director of the EEOC’s Washington Field Office, Mindy E. Weinstein, speaking at the Sikh Summit and AHAA Academy.

The event featured distinguished individuals, including United States Attorney Ms. Dena J. King, US Ambassador-at-Large Rashad Hussain from the Office of International Religious Freedom at the United States Department of State, as well as EEOC Washington Field Office Director Mindy Weinstein, among others. Additionally, this year’s Summit included a certified workshop training on Mental Health, which was organized in collaboration with the New York Government.

Ambassador-at-Large Rashad Hussain from the Office of International Religious Freedom engages with participants at the Summit and AHAA Academy.

The summit united influential voices to address the concerns of the Sikh community. Participants deliberated on critical subjects including hate crimes, workplace harassment, discrimination, transnational aggression against minority communities, free speech, international and national civil rights litigation, interfaith and intercommunal alliances, religious liberty, as well as the articles of faith and heritage of the Sikh community worldwide.

Mitsu Puri and Sally Ghani from the New York City Government delivering Mental Health Training Workshop at the Summit and AHAA Academy.

Reflecting on the Summit, Mr. Gurpreet Singh, CEO of UNITED SIKHS, remarked, “The summit acts as a catalyst for innovative solutions and collaborations. Attendees have the chance to participate in interactive workshops, breakout sessions, and networking events, fostering the exchange of ideas and the forging of partnerships to propel positive change.”

During the course of the summit, participants were presented with a diverse array of civil rights subjects via presentations, breakout sessions, and speaker interactions. These sessions offered attendees a fresh perspective on the altruistic contributions of Sikhs in a world marked by both human-made and natural disasters and crises.

Participants attending the Summit and the Annual Humanitarian Aid & Advocacy Academy.

“Attending the UNITED SIKHS Summit opened my eyes to the scope of many global issues and domestic programs in the U.S. Prior to this event, I had no idea as to the vast coverage that UNITED SIKHS has on world crises” said Saibhang Kaur. “I was deeply inspired by the advocacy and humanitarian projects of the UNITED SIKHS, and it has motivated me to contribute to my own community,” she added.

Congresswoman Judy Chu discusses legislative priorities at the Summit and AHAA Academy.

“The global Sikh Summit serves as an incubation center, nurturing future generations of Sikh advocacy leadership,” explained Mr. Manwinder Singh, Director of Advocacy at UNITED SIKHS. He added, “It also acts as a platform for refining and prioritizing our legislative and policy advocacy efforts at UNITED SIKHS for the upcoming year.”

Read Full Report of the Summit here

Dr. Henok Gabisa
Director, International Civil & Human Rights Advocacy (ICHRA)
UNITED SIKHS