This year marked a turning point for the European Khalsa Council. For the first time, this leadership body gathered in Hamburg, Germany rather than Amsterdam, Netherlands. The meetings, held January 22 - 24, 2009, provided an opportunity for the Council to create a new future together.

The 27 attendees comprised a mix of long standing members and first time observers, some of which became members by the end of the meetings. The combination resulted in an exploration of creative ideas for moving forward and leadership, continuity and wisdom for what has grown in Europe over the past 30 years.

On the first day, the Council embarked on a creative journey, facilitated by Satya Kaur of Portugal, to "Vitalize the European Khalsa Council" and explore the questions:

• What do we want to be as a European Khalsa Council Body?
• What do we see as opportunities, concerns and objectives?
• How can we serve society and keep the spirit high?

The process included movement, and skits that ingeniously depicted opportunities, concerns and the consciousness of the Khalsa.

On the second day the Council broke into topic areas, 4 working groups emerged:

1. Mission and Structure of the European Khalsa Council
   This group focused on the concept of the council which is growing more toward a European Khalsa Community Council, as there is an urge to open up, increase membership and communicate the opportunity for people living in Khalsa consciousness to participate.
2. Network & Communication System
   This group wants to create a website for the European Khalsa Council to share the mission and purpose of the Council. To establish on-going communication and connection, this group also wants to create a current communication system that would include obtaining the contact info of those who take Sikh Vows or Amrit at the European Yoga Festival
3. Projects
   Three areas of focus were created: 
   • Supporting Charitable or Social Service Projects that reach out and serve the global community at large. For example, one woman in the group is working with children in India. 
   • Creating a Social Support Structure for the Sangat. For example, how will the community support a woman in her 40 days after giving birth. 
   • Developing a Public Affairs focus for the European community in order to educate political officials about Sikhs and work to resolve legal barriers, such as children not being allowed to wear turbans in schools in France. There is an impetus to work with those trained by the Siri Singh Sahib in Public Affairs, as well as the Global Sikh Community currently perusing this in Europe.
4. Financial Group
   This year the European Khalsa Council received a grant from the "Charitable Contributions Committee" in order to host the meeting. This group figured out how to self-fund the Council for all future meetings. They are also researching possibilities, and pros and cons of becoming a legal entity.

These working groups are going to continue to develop their ideas and next steps and since European Khalsa Council occurs only once a year, they made plans to check-in with each other during the European Yoga Festival this summer.

Dialogue occurred on the importance of the European Khalsa Council in coming together in Khalsa Consciousness and providing this platform for gathering as a European Khalsa Community.

For more information please contact Guru Hans Kaur, Secretary of the European Khalsa Council. kundalini-yoga-ghk@wanadoo.fr

Submitted by:
Panch Nishan Kaur
Assistant Secretary General
International Community Relations
505.629.1706
panchnishan@sikhdharma.org