Key Points
- The Australian Sikh Games are the premier sporting and cultural event for the Sikh community in Australia.
- During the Easter long weekend of 7-9 April 2023, Gold Coast is hosting the 35th Australian Sikh Games.
- The Brisbane and Gold Coast local community are excited to welcome a large crowd of spectators and players for this mega event over the long weekend.
Tireless efforts are being made by the local Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) of Brisbane and Gold Coast to arrange free food service to welcome a swarm of people attending one of the biggest sporting and cultural events of the Australian Sikh community.
The organising committees, community clubs and hundreds of volunteers are putting the final touches on sports and 'langar' (free food) arrangements for the 35th Australian Sikh Games being in Gold Coast during the Easter weekend.
Like every year, national and international level players will participate in different sports.
The Sikh Games organising committee has invited everyone for this three-day spectacle of sport and culture, which is to be enjoyed by young and old alike.
During an interview with SBS Punjabi, Randeep Singh Johal, representative of the cultural wing of the Games Executive Committee, thanked the local government and the council for their support and assured that these games would prove to be a milestone in the history of Australia.
"There is a lot of excitement among the Australian Punjabi community for these games."
"We expect the attendance to cross one lakh this time. So far, we have registered nearly 6000 players to participate, which is the largest ever recorded figure," he said.
'More volunteers are needed'
These games are held every year in different cities in Australia with the joint venture of volunteers and the community.
"There is a great need for more attendants for sports arrangements and 'langar' (free food) service. So we appeal to the local community for help in making this joint venture a reality," Mr Johal said.
"We are getting full cooperation from various religious and social organisations for the necessary arrangements given the large number of spectators for which we are very grateful."
Mr Johal said that the expenditure for the upcoming games is estimated to be around seven lakh dollars.
In addition to sports, the event also showcases activities like cultural programs, turban-tying competitions, photo exhibitions and a Sikh forum.
Click on the audio link below to listen to the interview in Punjabi.
SBS Punjabi's Preetinder Grewal will be present at the sports grounds on April 8 and 9 for the coverage of these games.
