Preface To Book  'Sikhism and 21st Century' Book by Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia

Over the years the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation has been endeavouring to give to the 300th birth anniversary celebrations, in 1999, of the Khalsa an interfaith form and orientation by involving the people of the world in general and the faith followers of other religions in particular. In this context a Memorandum, signed, among others, by Sh. Inder Kumar Gujral (now our Prime Minister) was personally presented to the Secretary General of the U.N.O. in New York in 1992, calling upon the United Nations to declare 1999 as the Year of Human Spirit for projecting the Message of Guru Gobind Singh that all humanity is one in spirit

At the initiative of the Foundation, the Punjab Legislative Assembly also passed a resolution on the above lines for declaring 1999 as the U.N.O. - sponsored year of Human Spirit.

As a part of the 1999 celebrations, the Foundation, interalia, sometime back, planned a series of five International Interfaith Conclaves to propagate the Prophetic message of Guru Gobind Singh that the whole humanity is one in spirit. The first conclave at Chandigarh was inaugurated by Sh. K.R. Narayanan (now President of India) in 1995, this was followed, last year, by the second Conclave in Washington, D.C. The third Conclave is now being held in London this year. The fourth one will be held in South-East Asia next year, with the concluding one in 1999 at Sri Anandpur Sahib. Apart from the series, the Foundation has also been organising national and regional Conclaves as well as Special Lectures from time to time.

Our effort has been to bring contemporary Sikh consciousness, on doctrinal and ideological level in tune with the trends in global consciousness, this is essential for Sikhism to play its historic role in shaping the 21st century society and civilization.

A selection from the Papers got written for our International and National Conclaves is being presented, after editing, in this volume---the first of its kind---with a view to focussing attention on the futuristic concerns of Sikhism and Sikh Society.

The Foundation is grateful to the Guru Nanak Dev University, and in particular to its dynamic Vice-Chancellor, Dr. H.S. Soch, who not only showed keen interest in this project but also encouraged us to prepare this volume for publication by the University.

I am thankful to Mr. Jagjit Singh Walia, Director, Press and Publications, Guru Nanak Dev University and his colleagues for bringing out this volume at a very short notice. The help rendered by Prof. Madanjit Kaur for the painstaking work she has done in preparing the press copy of this book is also acknowledged with gratitude. I am thankful to Raghubir Singh Tak, Reader, Department of Guru Nanak Studies for the proof reading of this book.

Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia

Table Of Contents For 'Sikhism and 21st Century' Book by Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia