Plenary, 20 Sep 2006
Meeting date: Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Official Report
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Time for Reflection
Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is Dr Gurudeo Singh Saluja of Westhill, Aberdeenshire.
Presiding Officer, members of the Scottish Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, 17 years ago I was invited to join the Scottish constitutional convention, so today it gives me great pleasure to be here with you in Parliament for time for reflection.
The convention's vision was to make Scotland's Parliament truly representative of the wider population. As well as advocating equal representation of men and women, it stressed the importance of the participation of all groups, including ethnic minorities, in Parliament's consultative processes.
Parliament is still less than a decade old, but I believe that it has fulfilled the convention's aspirations to a significant extent and that it will continue along that route. We are all aware that much remains to be done but, at the same time, I believe that there is a will to do it.
Sikhism, the faith family to which I belong, is only 500 years old. It may be old in terms of years, but it is new in comparison with many other religions. The Sikh faith places emphasis on the oneness of God and the equality of all human beings, regardless of religion, ethnic origin, social status, disability and—interestingly—gender. Sikhism teaches that religion should be practised in daily life by living honestly and working hard, by treating everyone well, by being generous to those who are less fortunate and by serving the community.
Those principles of equality and service are reflected in congregational worship in the Sikh temple, or gurdwara, where men and women may take part in leading the service and proclaiming the faith. After the service, the congregation and any guests or visitors are invited to gather together to share in a free meal. The food must be simple, to prevent wealthy congregations from turning the meal into a feast and showing off their prosperity. Although Sikhs are not required to be vegetarian, only vegetarian food is served, so that all may feel free to partake, whatever their dietary customs might be. Members of the congregation provide the food, prepare it, serve it and do the washing and cleaning up afterwards. Everyone—men and women, old and young—may take part in that activity. I believe that those principles of service, participation and equality all resonate strongly with the values that are held by Parliament.
In conclusion, Presiding Officer, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to be here today, and to wish all the very best to the Scottish Parliament in the work that lies ahead.