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Dubai Gurudwara turns 10; has distributed over 8 million free meals

Hygiene kits, toiletries, anti-bacterial hand wash and sanitisers were also distributed to various labour camps during the pandemic

Since its opening in 2012, the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara in Dubai has served Langar (a communal kitchen) free meals to over eight million visitors.

This was revealed as the Sikh temple celebrated its 10th anniversary celebrations with an Interfaith Humanitarian program on Sunday.

The celebrations, which followed the UAE's Year of the 50th and is in line with India's 75th year of independence, also witnessed the distribution of 5,000 flasks to blue-collared workers.

The Interfaith Humanitarian Project is a joint initiative between Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara Dubai and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the UAE.

This project was initiated by Rob Bateman in 2015 and is now undertaken every year in his memory by providing thousands of unprivileged people the essentials of life.

Dr Surender Singh Kandhari said: “Even during the pandemic, the Gurudwara welcomed visitors adhering to all the safety norms of the Covid restrictions, assuring all precautionary measures and safety guidelines were adhered to, ensuring safety of all.”

Speaking about the interfaith cooperation, Scott Halverson, president of the church, said: “It really doesn’t matter what our beliefs are. We still do great work together. It has been a great opportunity and every relationship that we’ve built helps facilitate and foster the UAE’s vision for increased tolerance and bringing communities together regardless of where we come from, or other statuses.”

Additionally, Dr Bubbles Kandhari, the vice-chairperson of Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara thanked the volunteers from various communities who’ve selflessly supported all activities of the Gurudwara.

She further said that the Gurudwara has also been hosting cultural events like the Women’s Day since 2017, where women from across the country get together to pray for the well-being of mankind, cook and distribute food to serve humanity and carry out different activities at the Sikh temple.

The Gurudwara has distributed 150,000kg of raw food and 50,000 packets of cooked food to the needy and the blue collared labourers at the labour camps and quarantine centres, in all the seven emirates.

They have also distributed around 30,000 Iftar meals during the holy month of Ramadan.

Attending the event, Dr Aman Puri said: “In the last two years of this unprecedented crisis of Covid 19, the Dubai Gurudwara has made significant contribution, along with other Indian associations and other associations, supporting not only Indian nationals, but residents of the UAE from over 200 nationalities who consider the UAE their second home.”

During the pandemic, the Gurudwara successfully arranged the first ever chartered flight for the people stranded in the UAE to Amritsar. Since June 2020, 15 flights were successfully chartered to Chandigarh and Amritsar, helping over 3,000 stranded people in the UAE to reunite them with their families.

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Hygiene kits, toiletries, anti-bacterial hand wash and sanitisers were also distributed to various labour camps, with awareness videos on Covid protocols being circulated to local communities.

Major-General Ahmed Khalfan Al-Mansouri said: “I feel like I am part of the Gurudwara family, and I am happy to be associated with the Gurudwara for the past seven years.”

Guru Nanak Darbar Dubai hosted a three-day coronavirus vaccination drive in the month of February and March 2021 for the first and second dose, respectively.

In a three-day vaccination drive organised by Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara over 5,000 residents of UAE were administered the Sinopharm Covid vaccine.

• Dubai