Birmingham 2022 under fire from Sikh faith leaders

[Premi5]

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/birmingham-2022-under-fire-sikh-23625578

Birmingham 2022 under fire from Sikh faith leaders in latest diversity row

The organisers of the Commonwealth Games say they are hosting community events, roadshows and forums around the city and region as they try to ensure nobody is left out of opportunities

 

• 18COMMENTS

 

By

Jane HaynesPolitics & People Editor

• 17:26, 7 APR 2022
• UPDATED18:41, 7 APR 2022

 

Sikh faith leaders are to meet with the bosses of Birmingham 2022 after criticising them for 'ignoring and bypassing' their community. The comments are made in an open letter issued by the Sikh Community Forum, that represents Sikh Gurdwaras across Birmingham.

The Games organising committee's chief executive Ian Reid and chairman John Crabtree are to meet the Forum to discuss their concerns. In a hard hitting and emotional letter - the most recent to land in the in-tray of Birmingham 2022 leaders about diversity and inclusion - the Forum says those who are part of th eSikh diaspora feel they have been overlooked.

 

They say they had looked forward to the Games in their home region as a way to celebrate the Sikh athletes, coaches and officials throughout the Commonwealth, including England. "This was an opportunity for us to connect with family, friends, and Sikhs yet unknown to us, in providing hospitality and promoting Birmingham, Smethwick, West Bromwich, Coventry, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Dudley."

 

"However, yet again, we have been ignored and bypassed, and not for the first time. Just like when we were air-brushed out of “British” history for many decades in the annual remembrance services, despite laying down our lives for the British Empire, both in the first and second World Wars, despite our pivotal contribution."

The letter, penned by Cllr Gurdial Singh Atwal, on behalf of the forum, also criticised the Games for using an image of Sikhism (a boy in a turban) "to fulfil the diversity quota in promoting the notion of inclusivity."

"Since the Games arrived, we have had little or no contact from the Games Organising Committee, we are literally missing from the Games Cultural programme, just like other South Asian communities like the Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities." They add that feedback given to the Games' equality, diversity and inclusion forum showed Sikh gurdwaras had been largely overlooked, and that plans for faith hubs for visitors, trailed by the Games, had not been a topic of conversation with gurdwaras.

[MisterrSingh]

Gotta virtue signal our bhai-chaara with Pakistanis and Banglas incase someone forgets we aren't their umbrella holders. FFS.

Begs the question: if Sikhs, Paks, and Bangos aren't in the cultural programme for BIRMINGHAM (), then who the frig is included? Can't be just African-Americans, can it?

[PuzzledToo]

24 minutes ago, MisterrSingh said:

Gotta virtue signal our bhai-chaara with Pakistanis and Banglas incase someone forgets we aren't their umbrella holders. FFS.

We will not let them forget Paaji. Here we come to save the day!

 

[Premi5]

1 hour ago, MisterrSingh said:

 

Begs the question: if Sikhs, Paks, and Bangos aren't in the cultural programme for BIRMINGHAM (), then who the frig is included? Can't be just African-Americans, can it?

 

African-Caribbeans ?

LGBT ?

Birmingham has a 'Gay Village'

https://visitbirmingham.com/inspire-me/areas/gay-village

[MisterrSingh]

33 minutes ago, Premi5 said:

African-Caribbeans ?

Sorry, that's it. Forgot about that.