Sikh Council Uk Press Release - Meeting With Italian Authority

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Sikh Council UK secures a meeting for 26th September with Italian Government on

Searching of the Dastaar at Airports

The Sikh Council UK’s European & International affairs representatives have secured a

meeting on 26th of September with the Italian Government after intense lobbying and

working through the European Commission and others willing to assist.

The Sikh Council UK, working with a number of Sikh organisations has been invited by

relevant Italian departments to a meeting in order to start the process for agreeing on a

protocol on the searching of the Dastaar at Italian Airports along the lines already

established as a precedence with the UK Government. The Sikh Council UK hopes this

will be another important step towards a European-wide solution.

The Sikh Council has been in dialogue with the European Commission as well as the EU

departments concerned with transport security over the last 4 months. Finally the hard

work is showing positive results.

It is critical that the Sikh Panth focuses on the objective of securing a resolution to the pain

and distress that our Panth has faced for too long and the Sikh Council UK would urge all

Sikhs to work in harmony in securing our right to freely wear the Dastaar.

The Sikh Council will be issuing a statement after the meeting on the 26th and will keep the

Panth informed of the progress made.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

On behalf of the Sikh Council UK

For further information Contact:

Parminder Singh - Spokesperson SCUK: 07984 451 061

Jaspal Singh Anand -

Chair of European and International Affairs Committee: 07958 516531

Paramjit Kaur Matharu -

Vice Chair of European and International Affairs Committee 07879603531

Please see attached Press Release regarding meeting secured by Sikh Council UK with Italian Authority

Press Release Sikh Council Meeting with Italian Authority (1).pdf

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Keep up the good work Sikh Council!

In the last 6 months the Sikh federation and Sikh Council have achieved the following in regards to the 'Respect For Sikh Turbans in UK Airports' issue:-

March 22^nd 2011 - Lobby in the British parliament in regards to Respect for the Sikh Turban at UK airports (and across Europe).

April 26^th 2011 – 30 minute adjournment debate took place in Westminster. Dozens of MP’s attended the Respect For Sikh Turban debate and 15 managed to make a contribution in the 30 minute session.

1^st June 2011 – Minister of transport Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers MP sent a 3 page letter to the ministers in the other 26 EU states. In the letter the Minister stated: ‘On 30 November 2010 the UK secured EU agreement for a trial that avoids physical touching of the turban by hand….”

15^th June 2011 – All Party Parliamentary Group for UK Sikhs (APPGS) meets the Transport Minister Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers. The Minister has confirmed that the trial will be taking place in 17 out of the 20 largest UK airports. Fabian Hamilton MP who is the chair of APPGS will be speaking to the executives within the remaining 3 airports for a justification as to why they wont be entering the trial.

12^th July 2011 – Sikh representatives meet the Transport Mnister – Sikhs want the UK trials concluded as soon as possible and the results shared with the European Commission to allow other EU member states to adopt the same procedures as soon as possible. The Minister discussed how pressure could be exerted on EU states.

18^th September 2011 – Fabian Hamilton the chair of the APPGS has confirmed that a delegation of MP’s including himself and Sikh representatives will be travelling to Brussels to meet the EU Commissioner. Representatives from Italy and Greece will also be attending the meeting as there are specific problems in these countries.