Virtual Evening Lecture - Race, Regulation and Resistance: Understanding Vancouver’s South Asian community history

1866 West 2nd Avenue in Kitsilano marks the historic site of the first Gurdwara in North America. Established by the Khalsa Diwan Society in 1908, the Gurdwara was the centre of spiritual, political, social, and cultural activity for the small, but growing Sikh and South Asian community in Vancouver for 60 years. From this location, members of the community started printing presses to circulate information about the fight for India’s independence against British colonial rule, discuss topics such as the admission of South Asian women to Canada and advocate for their rights by challenging discriminatory policies in Canada such as the Continuous Journey regulation – a racist immigration restriction carefully designed to keep people from India out. 

Using historical images, government documents, and print media, Naveen Girn, Paneet Singh and Milan Singh will share stories of the South Asian community’s activism and resilience, delving into the history of the community and connections to local places. They will also detail the formation of the Continuous Journey regulation and its insidious effects, including its impact on ships like the Panama Maru and Komagata Maru.

Most event expenses are incurred in the four week period just prior to the event. Our registration cancellation policy reflects the fact that we cannot recover these costs. We do not provide refunds or credits for cancellations received less than four (4) weeks prior to an event. We cannot provide refunds or credits for non-attendance.