JOINT STATEMENT – 24 May, 2023
(Samaj Weekly)- We, the following organisations, request the Government of India to make a demarche to the United Nations to declare 14 April, birthday of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao R. Ambedkar as “International Day of Equality‟.
It gives us Indians, wherever we are settled, immense pride when we see one of our iconic figures – Dr Ambedkar – recognised worldwide in the matters of equality and social justice. His enormous contribution towards a just society and equality has been acknowledged in many countries around the world. He has been honoured with statues, schools and rooms in institutions and library‟s named after him. Columbia University in the US, London School of Economics in the UK, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, York University, Toronto, Canada, Koyasan University, Japan, New Zeeland, Australia, and Hungary are some of the many places where his statues have been installed. In Hungary there is a school named after him. In Jamaica, a road “Dr Ambedkar Avenue‟ was inaugurated by the former President of India. There is a street “Ambedkar Way‟ in Auckland, New Zeeland. In London Gray’s Inn, his Alma meter has honoured him by naming a room “Ambedkar Room‟ and installing his portrait donated by the Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist Organisations, UK (FABO UK). Ambedkar Museum London has become India’s pride for having only museum in the World named after any Indian.
Dr Ambedkar’s contribution to social equality is as significant as that of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Dr Nelson Mandela. It is a matter of great pride for all Indians to observe when a number of organisations, institutions and local authorities in India, and around the world are honouring Dr Ambedkar by declaring 14 April, a day of equality. First City of Burnaby in Canada proclaimed this in April 2020, followed by a declaration that 14 April is “Dr B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality‟. This was followed by the Province of British Columbia, Canada in April 2021 that reaffirmed it again in April, 2022 and 2023. Vancouver also followed this and recognised 14 April as a day of equality. In the US, the state of Colorado has also declared as a “Day of Equity.‟ In the United Kingdom, City of Coventry made a declaration “Coventry City Council hereby declares 14th April as Equality Day in honour of the work of Bhim Rao Ambedkar for equality, liberty, fraternity and justice for all humans”. The time is ripe for the Government of India too to also recognise him as our national treasure and actively pursue the UN to declare 14 April as the International Day of Equality.
The UN in New York is not new to celebrating Dr Ambedkar. His birthday was celebrated at the UN on 14 April, 2016 and 2023. The leader of the Indian delegation to the celebrations, Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal, former Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, supported this proposal in his address. In his report submitted to the Prime Minister on 3 May, 2016, Mr Atwal urged the Indian government to recommend to the UN that it declare 14 April as an International Day of Equality. By honouring Dr Ambedkar at the UN, India will not only strengthen its “soft power‟ in diplomacy but also promoting the UN goal of just world order based on equality.
FABO UK have been pursuing this proposal via the India‟s High Commission in London since 2015. We urge the Government of India to recommend this proposal to the UN General Assembly to be held in September 2023 to declare 14 April as an International Day of Equality. We hope you will pass on this proposal to the Government of India with a favourable recommendation.
Ambedkar Mission Society, Bedford
Anti-Caste Discrimination Alliance, UK
Asian Rationalist Society, Britain
Bhagwan Valmik Sabha Bedford
Bhagwan Valmik Sabha Birmingham
Bhagwan Valmik Sabha Coventry
Bhagwan Valmik Sabha Oxford
Bhagwan Valmik Sabha Southall
Bhagwan Valmik Temple Wolverhampton
Buddha Dhamma Association, Southall
Central Valmik Sabha UK
Dr Ambedkar Mission Society, Glasgow
Dr Ambedkar Buddhist Organisation, Birmingham UK
Dr Ambedkar Memorial Trust, London
Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist Organisations UK
Indian Scheduled Caste Welfare Association, UK
Indian Workers’ Association, Great Britain
Jagat Guru Valmik Ji Maharaj Mandir, Gian Ashram, Birmingham
Kanshi Radio Ltd
Kanshi TV
Punjab Buddhist Society, UK
Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha UK (SGRS-UK) and is the voice for all Shri Guru Ravidass Temples in
the UK:
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Bedford,
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Birmingham
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Bradford
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Coventry
– Shri Guru Ravidass Temple Foleshill, Coventry
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Darlaston,
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Derby
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha, East Ham
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Glasgow
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Gravesend
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Erith Kent
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Leicester
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Luton
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Northampton
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Southall
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Southampton
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Strood
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Strood, Medway
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Walsall
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Willenhall
– Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Wolverhampton
