Surrey Vaisakhi Parade in Canada cancelled due to coronavirus

Chandigarh

The Surrey Vaisakhi Parade—the largest parade of its kind outside of India—has been cancelled as a precaution to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Organisers of the event—Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar—had scheduled the event for April 25, according to a report by Global News.

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The organisers revealed that they made the “difficult decision” to cancel the event on Thursday after consultations with health authorities.

“We wanted to avoid all risk to public safety and health,” said lead organizer Moninder Singh.

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“It was very though, there is a lot of emotional, religious and cultural attachment to this event. We have tens of thousands of people who come from out of town, that was also one of the considerations we were giving.”

Organisers noted the health and safety of the public is the top priority.

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“It’s disappointing in the sense that we feel bad for all the people .. .you know, the half a million people that gather. It’s a joyous celebration,” said Moninder. He added that he looks forward to the parade returning next year.

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The Surrey Vaisakhi parade draws more than 500,000 people every year.

The parade marks one of the most significant days in the Sikh calendar, the creation of the Khalsa in 1699.

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The cancellation comes as more than 118,000 cases of COVID-19 were reported worldwide, with more than 100 across Canada.