Media Advisory
5/15/2016
What:
Grade 1-8 students will present songs, dances and drama pieces to celebrate the many achievements and cultures of Asian South Asian communities in Canada. The opening piece of the evening, Into That Heaven of Freedom written by Parkland Public School students, is based on the memoir of award-winning humanitarian, author and lawyer Dr. Mohamed Keshavjee (who is the uncle of a Parkland student).
Other highlights of the evening will include South Asian dancing, a Chinese lantern parade, a martial arts and bhangra demonstration, a Kindergarten Asian fashion show, various drama performances and a performance by the Parkland Orchestra.
Where:
Parkland Public School
18 Coxworth Avenue
Markham
When:
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
6:30 p.m.
Who:
- Parkland Public School staff, students and families.
- Humanitarian, author and lawyer Dr. Mohamed Keshavjee, recipient of the prestigious King-Gandhi-Ikeda Award from Morehouse College. Through the Agha Khan Development Fund, Dr. Keshavjee has trained mediators around the world in the art of resolving conflicts through mediation that incorporates solutions found in Sharia Law while respecting Civil Law.
- Ram Pillay, a photographer who became the official photographer to Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during his visit to the United States of America and worked on the consolidation of the apartheid question at the UN under the supervision of Krishna Menon. Mr. Pillay is one of the earlier South African Indian immigrants to Canada.
- Pungie Govindasamy is the granddaughter of Thambi Naidoo who marched with Mahatma Gandhi in the early 1900s. Her mother, Mrs Thayanayagee Pillay, cooked for 156 people who were accused under the Treason Trials including Mr Mandela, Mr Sisulu and Mr Ahmed Kathrada. She will bring the sari that Mr. Mandela gave her mother.
- Dr. Hoosen Keshavjee was the first medical doctor from the Ismaili Muslim community in South Africa. He worked in Alexandra Township where he had a medical practice among the poor urban Africans. He came to Canada in 1967 and started his medical practice in Toronto. He is a pioneer for the creation of Asian South Asian Heritage Month in Canada.
- Ricky Veerappan is a leader in providing crosscultural support to the Ontario Provincial Police. He has served in the Police Force for 30 years.
- Fareed Ismail organized a major get together for 45,000 youth when Prime Minister Mandela first visited Canada.
- Shehnaz Hussein comes from the MH Joosub family. Mahatma Gandhi stayed at the home of her great-grandfather when he came to Pretoria in 1893. It is at the Joosub home where Gandhi says he gave his first political speech.
For more information contact: