Khwaish-Newsletter

Be Part of the Network
Just three months old and YSA has already attracted close to 100 members and the membership list continues
to grow.
Be a part of YSA. You will have diverse platforms and ample opportunities to network and interact, participate
in community service in Singapore and abroad as well as partake in sports and cultural programmes.
Membership certainly has its privileges.
Membership is open to Sikhs and non-Sikhs of all ages and professions residing in Singapore. All you need
to pay is a $10.00 membership fee with an annual subscription fee of either $10.00 or $20.00, depending
on the type of membership.
Get your application form from the Sikh Centre (4th Floor), www.ysas.org or just email to enquiry@ysas.org
for a copy.
Join YSA today and be part of the network…
A Newsletter of Young Sikh Association (Singapore) December 2003 MITA (P) 207/10/2003
New Kid On The Block
What’s Happening?
“Racial Harmony” Football Tournament
Four-a-side “Racial Harmony” football tournament
on 4 January 2004 at Kolam Ayer CC. Open to
Sikhs with two non-Sikh players on each team.
Application forms are available at the Sikh Centre
(4th floor) or www.ysas.org. Participation is limited
to 30 teams. Application is on a first come first
serve basis.
Official Launch Ceremony
Witness the formalisation of YSA on 17 January
2004 from 2.45pm to 4.45pm at Marina
Mandarin. More than 200 guests are expected at
the event. To register, contact Sohni at 96254137
or email: sohni@ysas.org. Check out
www.ysas.org for details on the launch ceremony.
Seminar on “Managing Cultural Differences”
Gain an insight into appreciating and managing
cultural sensitivities in a multi-ethnic Singapore.
Eminent Singaporeans to focus on ethnic issues
at this seminar in February 2004. For more details,
contact Ms Manjit Kaur at 97640770 or check
out www.ysas.org.
Coming Soon…
• Dialogue Session with a Minister
• Professional Development Programme
• ‘Networking’ Hockey Tournament
• Bhangra Competition
• Seminar on Challenges facing the Women
• Community Service projects in Singapore
Do look out for these activities.
Visit YSA’s website at www.ysas.org for details.
Up and Running…
Log on to www.ysas.org and find out more about
YSA and our
programmes.
YSA’s website
was officially
operational on
15 November
2003. The
website contains
a reservoir of
information on
YSA, our mission and objectives, details on our
programmes and the executive committee members,
past and forthcoming activities, membership
application as well as an online newsletter.
The website is user-friendly and easy to navigate and
has been given the thumbs-up by its visitors. Mr
Swandi Sowaran Singh commended YSA on the
launch of the website, stating that “It is a refreshing
website. I found the information concise yet
informative. And I had no problem surfing it“.
Do check out YSA’s website and be in the know of
what YSA is up to and how you can be part of it all!
EDITORIAL INFORMATION
Khwaish is a newsletter of Young Sikh Association
(Singapore). Please feel free to forward your comments
and feedback to:-
The Editor, Khwaish
Young Sikh Association (Singapore)
c/o Sikh Centre
8 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 169543
Tel: 6327 2007/5 Fax: 6327 2009
Email: editor@ysas.org
No part of this newsletter should be published without the consent
of the Editor, Khwaish.
It’s time to roll out the newest player in the Sikh
community – Young Sikh Association (Singapore),
or YSA for short. Established in August 2003, YSA’s
mission is to promote the aspirations of young Sikhs.
Why YSA?
Today’s young Singaporeans, including young Sikhs,
will play a significant role in determining Singapore’s
place in the global community. This underscores the
importance of preparing them for this new
international role. The best way to prepare them for
the future is to increase their exposure to Singapore,
the region and the world, and broaden their
perspectives on global development in politics,
business and technology, and on the social and
cultural environments. This involves helping young
Singaporeans appreciate the importance of regional
and international dialogue, interaction and cooperation
in tackling some of the most pressing
challenges of our times. YSA is therefore a relevant
initiative in today’s local and global contexts.
What is YSA?
YSA strives to understand and appreciate the
aspirations of young Sikhs and to integrate these
aspirations into the Sikh community and Singapore
society through enhancing mutual understanding on
issues of common concern and fostering friendships
across ethnic groups in Singapore, the region and
the world. YSA’s activities will involve programmes
and projects that benefit the Sikh community and
Singapore at large, all in the effort to create world
ready young Singaporean Sikhs.
YSA’s objectives are:
Active Citizenry
To enhance understanding of national issues among
young Sikhs and to encourage them to contribute to
the betterment of our society as thoughtful and
responsible citizens.
Intellectual and Professional Development
To provide platforms for young Sikhs to strive for
intellectual and professional development.
Inter-racial Harmony
To strengthen inter-racial friendship and harmony
by organising and actively participating in intercommunity
activities.
Community Spirit
To foster community spirit among young Sikhs
through community service at home and abroad.
National Identity and a Global Mindset
To establish networks with local and international
youth groups so as to foster national identity and a
global mindset among young Sikhs.
What’s In This Edition . . .
• The rationale for YSA’s establishment
• Reaching out with YSA’s programmes
• YSA appoints Panel of Advisors
• The logo behind the organisation
• Helping the less fortunate in Punjab
• The people who got it all going
• How to be part of the YSA network?
• Surf YSA’s newly launched website
• Forthcoming activities

REACHING OUT . . .
As a totally independent Sikh organisation, our programmes are initiated by young Sikhs for
young Sikhs, in particular, and the Sikh community and Singapore society, in general. Our
programmes are designed to allow you to meet your aspirations and to enable you to contribute
to the betterment of the Sikh community and Singapore. From dialogue sessions, seminars
and professional development workshops to dhol competitions, cultural shows and sports
activities, you choose your avenues of aspiration and integration.
Conferences and Seminars
In order for you to play a part in Singapore’s
globalisation, it is important to be exposed to issues
in Singapore, the region and the world. This
programme will broaden your perspective of global
politics, business,
technology and other
social and cultural
environments
through regular
conferences,
seminars and
dialogue sessions
with political,
business and civil
society leaders from
Singapore and
abroad.
Intellectual and
Professional
Development
Today’s dynamic
local and
international
environments
demand relevant skills acquired through continual
professional and intellectual development. Through
workshops and discussion sessions focusing on
presentation, communications and organisation
skills, management and leadership development, this
programme will help you adopt a positive attitude,
an entrepreneurial spirit and develop the confidence
you need to become a more competent and active
participant in Singapore’s economic and social
progress.
YSA Appoints Panel of Advisors
Community Service
This programme will enable you to support the
needs of less fortunate communities in Singapore
and abroad. By making a difference in the lives
of others, you will be able to discover confidence
and teamwork and
the potential to
make a difference,
a realisation that
we hope will spur
you to even greater
engagement and
active citizenry.
Culture
This programme
strives to
strengthen racial
and religious
harmony in
Singapore through
inter-community
cultural activities by
showcasing the
Sikh culture to
create greater
understanding and appreciation of the Sikh
heritage and tradition.
Sports
Adopting the approach that sports is a fun and
exciting means of networking and interaction, this
programme will organise a range of sporting
activities to enable you to forge links and
strengthen ties with fellow Sikhs and other ethnic
groups in Singapore and overseas.
YSA has appointed three eminent and distinguished individuals from the Sikh community and Singapore on
its Panel of Advisors. They are Mr Davinder Singh, Member of Parliament for Toa Payoh GRC, Mr Inderjit
Singh, Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, and Mr Bhajan Singh, Chairman, Sikh Education
Foundation.
As a newly established organisation which aims to “internationalise” young Singaporean Sikhs, YSA will
benefit considerably from their contribution on policy directions and strategies as we forge ahead in our
mission and with our objectives.
The term of appointment of the Panel of Advisors is for one year effective 1 November 2003.
OUR LOGO
Our logo comprises
three stylised orange
sails rising from the
blue acronym YSA,
Young Sikh
Association,
Singapore.
The orange signifies
the rays of the rising
sun on the three sails in motion, reflecting our
proactive approach in reaching out to
understand the aspirations of young Sikhs. Like
energy emanating from the sun, the progressive
sails also represent the energy with which we
strive to achieve our objectives to make a
positive contribution to the Sikh community and
to Singapore. The blue represents our corporate
culture which emphasises strength, trust and
reliability – values which underpin our
philosophy and actions.
The union of the sails and YSA symbolises our
commitment to integrate the aspirations of
young Sikhs into the Sikh community and
Singapore society and contribute to the growth
of a vibrant and thriving Singapore.
The People Behind YSA
It’s never easy to start an
organisation. It involves a
considerable amount of
planning, conceptualisation and
execution.
However, the people behind YSA
were determined and worked
hard to see it come to fruition. In
less than six months after the idea
was first mooted, YSA came into
existence.
The Executive Committee of YSA
is made up of 15 Sikhs from
different backgrounds and
professions. All of them have the
common desire to make a
difference in the Sikh community
and Singapore society.
With your support and
involvement, they will make YSA
an integral part of the Sikh
community and the Singapore
society.
COMMUNITY SERVICE IN PUNJAB
A group of 35 young Sikhs and non-Sikhs are currently
in Punjab to help the less fortunate in society. They are
part of YSA’s community service projects in Ludhiana
and Chandigarh from 2 to 20 December 2003. The
former involves working with school children in Anand
Isher Senior Secondary Public School while the latter is
with old folks in the Home for the Aged and Destitute.
The aim of these expeditions is to provide the opportunity
for Sikh and non-Sikh youths to participate in meaningful
service in aid of the less fortunate in Punjab. At the same
time, the expeditions are geared at raising an awareness
and appreciation of the Sikh culture among the
participants and to enable them to understand the socioeconomic
development issues in Punjab.
Participation in the expeditions is significantly subsidised
by YSA through funding from the Singapore International
Foundation. Each participant only paid S$450.00 for
the 18-day expeditions.
YSA plans to organise similar community service projects
to Punjab every year. So do be part of this life-changing
experience next year!
L – R (Sitting) Harbhajn Singh (Asst Treasurer), Manjit Kaur (Committee Member),
Satwant Singh (Vice President), Hernaikh Singh (President), Sohni D. Kaur (Committee
Member) and Harveen Singh Narulla (Committee Member)
L – R (Standing) Parwinder Singh Grewal (Secretary), Kuldip Singh (Committee Member),
Kulwant Singh (Committee Member), Sukhbir Singh (Treasurer), Kuldip Singh (Committee
Member) and Paramjit Singh (Committee Member)
Not in Picture Kulwant Singh Bardh (Committee Member), Kirpal Singh (Committee
Member) and Sharon Kaur (Committee Member)