Basking Ridge/Glen Roc, NJ: October 27, 2010. (PCP) Representatives of Sikh Gurdwaras and organizations from across the US gathered for a National Sikh Convention held from October 22 to 24, 2010 in New Jersey. “At this national convention the Sikh American community, in addition to making the work of WSC-AR more effective, committed itself to developing an international Sikh representative structure by assisting in the creation of national representative organizations in other countries as well as working towards a “connectional church” hierarchy for Sikh Gurdwaras in the US to avoid unnecessary litigation,” said Dr. Satpal Singh, Chairperson of WSC-AR. US Sikh Gurdwaras (which are managed by Sikh community) and other US Sikh organizations that respect the Sikh Rehat Maryada (Sikh Code of Conduct) were invited to send one delegate each to the National Sikh Convention. Representatives of Sikh Gurdwaras and organizations from New York to California and Wisconsin to Texas attended the convention. The convention, held in New Jersey, was jointly hosted by the Sikh Gurdwaras of Garden State Sikh Association (Bridgewater) and Siri Guru Singh Sabha (Glen Rock). More information on the convention is at www.sikhconvention.org. The convention opened on Friday evening at Bridgewater Gurdwara with brainstorming small-group focus sessions. The Saturday morning plenary session was devoted to sharing the accomplishments of WSC-AR and to presentations by representatives of national and international Sikh community outreach organizations. A highlight of the Saturday morning session was the presentation by Giani Gurbax Singh, an eminent Sikh theologian from UK, who addressed the significance and implementation of Sikh Code of Conduct. The afternoon session was devoted to the General Body meeting of WSC-AR, at which input on the functioning of the organization was received. The evening presentation was led by Dr. Harnam Singh, a well-known Sikh historian from Punjab, who shared a historical perspective on the development of umbrella consensus institutions in Sikh history. The Sunday morning session was held at Glen Rock Gurdwara in which major decisions of the convention were adopted followed by reporting to the Sikh community in attendance at the Gurdwara for worship services. The convention was attended by representatives of the following US Sikh Gurdwaras and organizations: Dasvand Network; Garden State Sikh Association, Bridgewater (NJ); Gurdwara Guru Angad Darbar, Bakersfield (CA); Gurdwara Sahib Fremont (CA); Gurdwara Sahib, Merced (CA); Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Society, Bedford (OH); Guru Nanak Foundation of Greater Cleveland, Richfield (OH); Guru Nanak Mission Society, Atlanta (GA); Guru Nanak Religious Society of Central Ohio, Columbus (OH); New England Sikh Study Circle, Boston (MA); Philadelphia Sikh Society, Millbourne (PA); SALDEF (DC); Sikh Association of the Capital District (DC); Sikh Coalition (NY); Sikh Cultural & Educational Society of Western New York, Buffalo (NY); Sikh Cultural Society Inc., Richmond Hills (NY); Sikh Educational & Religious Foundation, Dublin (OH); Sikh Foundation of Syracuse (NY); Sikh Religious Society of Chicago (IL); Sikh Religious Society of Wisconsin, Brookfield (WI); Sikh Research Institute (TX); Sikh Sabha of New Jersey, Lawrenceville (NJ); Sikh Sabha of Upper Valley, Hanover (NH); Sikh Sadh Sangat, Easton (PA), Sikh Society of Michigan, Madison Heights (MI); Sikh Study Circle of Atlanta (GA); Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (WI); Sikh Youth Federation of USA, Toledo (OH); Sikhs Serving America, Topeka (KS); Singh Sabha of Michigan, Canton (MI); Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Glenrock (NJ); Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Richardson (TX); and United Sikhs (NY). Sikh organizations from several other countries attended the convention. These included Gurdwara Khalsa Parkash, Windsor, Ontario (Canada); Network of Sikh Organizations (United Kingdom); Panjab Digital Library (India); Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria (Australia); Sikh Missionary College (India); and Sikh Phulwari (India). The convention approved WSC-AR holding a National Sikh Convention every other year. The 2012 National Sikh Convention is expected to be held on the west coast. The World Sikh Council - America Region (WSC-AR) is a representative and elected body of Sikh Gurdwaras and institutions in the United States. Its members include 45 Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) and other Sikh institutions, across the nation. WSC-AR works to promote Sikh interests at the national and international level focusing on issues of advocacy, education, and well-being of humankind. Member Gurdwaras of WSC-AR: 1. Pacific Coast Khalsa Diwan Society, Stockton, CA 2. Gurdwara Sahib Fremont, Fremont, CA 3. Guru Nanak Sikh Mission, Livingston, CA 4. Sikh Gurdwara of LA, North Hollywood, CA 5. Sikh Gurdwara Riverside, Riverside, CA 6. Colorado Singh Sabha, Denver, CO 7. Guru Singh Sabha of Augusta, Augusta, GA 8. Sikh Study Circle of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 9. Sikh Religious Society of Chicago, Palatine, IL 10. Sikh Society of South, New Orleans, LA 11. New England Sikh Study Circle, Boston, MA 12. Singh Sabha of Michigan, Canton, MI 13. Sikh Gurdwara of Michigan, Rochester Hills, MI 14. Sikh Society of Michigan, Madison Heights, MI 15. Guru Nanak Foundation of Jackson, MS 16. Sikh Gurdwara of North Carolina, Durham, NC 17. Sikh Sabha of Upper Valley, Hanover, NH 18. Garden State Sikh Association, Bridgewater, NJ 19. Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Delaware Valley, Sewell, NJ 20. Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Glenrock, NJ 21. Sikh Sabha of New Jersey, Lawrenceville, NJ 22. Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh, Las Vegas, NV 23. Sikh Cultural Society Inc., Richmond Hills, NY 24. Sikh Cultural & Edu. Society of Western NY, Buffalo, NY 25. Sikh Religious Society of Dayton, Dayton, OH 26. Guru Nanak Found. of Greater Cleveland, Richfield, OH 27. Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Society, Bedford, OH 28. Guru Nanak Religious Soc. of Central Ohio, Columbus, OH 29. Sikh Sadh Sangat, Easton, PA 30. Philadelphia Sikh Society, Millbourne, PA 31. Tristate Sikh Cultural Society, Monroeville, PA 32. Mid South Sikh Sabha, Memphis, TN 33. Sikh Center of Gulf Coast, Houston, TX 34. Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Richardson, TX 35. Sikh Gurdwara of North Texas, Garland, TX 36. Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Fairfax, VA 37. Sikh Association of Central Virginia, VA 38. Sikh Religious Society of Wisconsin, Brookfield, WI Other Sikh Institution Members of WSC-AR: 1. Siri Guru Granth Sahib Found., Anaheim, CA 2. Sikhs Serving America, Topeka, KS 3. Sikh Youth Federation of North America, White Plains, NY 4. Sikh Heritage Foundation, Long Island, NY 5. Sikh Educational & Religious Foundation, Dublin, OH 6. Sikh Youth Federation of USA, Toledo, OH 7. Academy of Guru Granth Studies, Arlington, TX