Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) celebrate their 21st Annual International Mother Language Day
Indo-Canadian Voice Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) celebrate their 21st Annual International Mother Language Day posted by: Rattan MallBY GURINDER MANN ON February 21, Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) celebrated its 21st Annual International Mother Language Day event. Alongside active members of PLEA, well over 150 supporters of Punjabi were in attendance. Harman Pandher, the MC, opened the event with a land acknowledgement, recognizing they were on the unceded territory of the […] The post Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) celebrate their 21st Annual International Mother Language Day first appeared on Indo-Canadian Voice.Indo-Canadian Voice
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Indo-Canadian Voice Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) celebrate their 21st Annual International Mother Language Day posted by: Rattan Mall
BY GURINDER MANN
ON February 21, Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) celebrated its 21st Annual International Mother Language Day event. Alongside active members of PLEA, well over 150 supporters of Punjabi were in attendance. Harman Pandher, the MC, opened the event with a land acknowledgement, recognizing they were on the unceded territory of the First Nations people. A moment of silence was also dedicated to the victims of the recent tragedy at Tumbler Ridge.
PLEA’s President, Balwant Sanghera, offered some welcoming words. He shared with the audience PLEA’s efforts to promote Punjabi Language education in local schools. He also mentioned that efforts were continuing to have Punjabi signs at the airport and at the BC borders.
The first student presentation was a song by Princess Margaret Secondary School student Yasania Kaur. PLEA’s Vice President, Dr. Sadhu Binning, delivered a consistent message from PLEA, which was that Punjabi should receive national recognition in Canada.
The second student presentation was from eight-year-old Sohraab Singh Brar, who shared the importance of Punjabi in his life, followed by Jeevan and Gurshanvir Bajwa, who presented a slide show illustrating the benefits of learning Punjabi.
Senator Baltej Singh Dhillon addressed the audience and shared his life experiences with the Punjabi language in Canada. He said that Punjabi has helped him not only in his personal life but also in his work.
He was followed by Jessie Sunner, who is a Canadian-born MLA representing Surrey Newton, and B.C. Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. She too shared her personal experiences with Punjabi and talked about how the knowledge of her mother tongue Punjabi has helped her become an overall better person.
Punjabi student Jasmeet Singh Khaira recited a poem. This was followed by a short film, Rooted and Rising, from Rohan and Jaiden Gill. Teachers from the Surrey School District, Gurpreet Bains and Amandeep Chhina, provided information about the successes of Punjabi in the District. They shared the news that Grade 8 Punjabi will be available in Surrey’s Secondary Schools as needed. Vice Chair of the Surrey School Board, Garry Thind, talked about the issues related to Punjabi language education in Surrey schools. Like previous years, Thind presented a donation to the PLEA organization.
Harman Pandher shared some words in support of reading Punjabi and informed everyone about the free books that were being given during the event. Students Milan and Maya Khera showed a video named Punjabi Pathways, which echoed the importance of learning Punjabi language. Following their presentation, all the dedicated students who participated in the program were called on stage in recognition of their hard work and commitment to Punjabi, and were presented with certificates and gifts.
In closing, Gurinder Mann, the Punjabi Professor at the University of British Columbia, and Parabjot Kaur Singh, a teacher at L.A. Matheson Secondary School, offered closing remarks.
A sincere thank you to Taj Park Convention Centre in Surrey. We appreciate their efforts to support Punjabi through their collaboration with PLEA.
We are immensely thankful to the Deepak Binning Foundation for their continuous support over the past 25 years.
(Article and photos submitted)
The post Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) celebrate their 21st Annual International Mother Language Day first appeared on Indo-Canadian Voice.Indo-Canadian Voice
