Sikh langar to feed thousands at Parliament of World’s Religions

The Sikh community in Illinois, led by the Sikh Religious Society of Palatine, will be serving daily langar to over 6,000 delegates of the event

Displaying an important tenet of the Sikh faith, the Sikh community in Illinois is gearing up to feed thousands of delegates who will be congregating in Chicago next month.

The event, which is a much-needed and inclusive display of acknowledging and understanding different religions, faiths, and cultural practices, will be held in Chicago from August 14 to August 18.

Entitled the Parliament of the World’s Religions, the 2023 edition will see thousands of attendees.

The event kicks off with a Parade of Faiths that will be held on August 13. The parade in Chicago is accepting participation submissions. The inter-faith parade is a spectacular confluence of many different cultures and is open to the public. Showcasing Chicago’s rich diversity, there will be festivities, music, and dance. The parade will be held at the Museum Campus, The Welcome Garden, 1521 S. Linn White Drive, Chicago. Those who are interested can submit to participate in the parade by August 1.

In a remarkable gesture, the Sikh community of Illinois, led by the Sikh Religious Society of Palatine, will be serving a daily langar to over 6,000 delegates of the event. According to Rajinder Singh Mago, trustee emeritus of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions and community outreach and media coordinator for the Sikh Religious Society of Palatine, “The community meals will be vegetarian, wholesome, and free, and they will be served throughout the event.”

READ: ‘Sikhs have been a part of America for over 125 years’ (July 11, 2023)

Langar is a free, communal meal that is served to everyone regardless of their faith or culture. It is an important tenet of the Sikh faith. Traditionally, Sikh community volunteers have been serving vegetarian Sikh dishes to delegates, who sit on the floor and enjoy a serving of Indian-style curries and saag.

Before this, the Sikh community has extended similar gestures during earlier editions of the Parliament of the World’s Religions as well. In 2018, they served thousands of delegates in Toronto, and prior to that, in Salt Lake City and Barcelona, Spain.

The event will see participants from more than 200 religious, Indigenous, and secular beliefs coming together. More than 80 nations are expected to be part of the event.

The interfaith event has a rich history of 130 years. The inaugural World Parliament of Religions was held in September 1893 in Chicago.

The event would take place at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center, 2301 S. Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive.