In a bid to support the Federal, State and Territory Government’s push around COVID-19 vaccinations, Sikh Youth Australia (SYA) has launched a national campaign to encourage over 135,000 Australian Sikhs to come forward, roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated.
With two hashtags, #GetVacSikhNated and #SikhsBeatCovid, the campaign includes three videos include messages from leaders of prominent Sikh associations, medical professionals, local Sikh celebrities, senior citizens, students, and ordinary enterprising Australian Sikhs who are keen to make a difference.
Commenting on the campaign, NSW Member for Coffs Harbour, Gurmesh Singh said, “I am delighted to see SYA taking the initiative to rally the Sikh community around getting vaccinated. It is critical that every community in Australia takes personal responsibility to communicate this important message so we can all return to normalcy.”
Highlighting that vaccinations are available and free for everyone, the videos include messages from
leaders of prominent Sikh associations, medical professionals, local Sikh celebrities, senior citizens,
students, and ordinary enterprising Australian Sikhs who are keen to make a difference.
To ensure the message resonates with the community, the videos feature Sikhs conveying their appeals
in English and Punjabi in an attempt to breakdown any language or age barriers:
• A Message from our Youth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd9x0-oRGVE
• A Message from our Families: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ0a2axJ7Jo
• A Message from our Respected Elders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1y8kfv4aiI
Sikh Youth Australia would like to extend its thanks to everyone who came forward without any hesitation
to participate in this collaborative community video including organisations such as Australian Sikh
Association, Culture Care, Harman Foundation, Khalsa Assist, Turbans 4 Australia, Queensland Taxi
Owners and Drivers Welfare Association and Young Sikh Professionals Network.
Satwant Singh Calais, President of Sikh Youth Australia said, “Sikhs in Australia have always rolled up
their sleeves in times of need and this pandemic is no exception. The concept of service or ‘seva’ is
central to the spirit of the Sikh faith, and encouraging our community to get vaccinated as a matter of
urgency is in accordance with what our nation needs most right now. I would like to see everyone in our
community sharing these videos so that we get the message home and protect our loved ones from the
terrible consequences of this highly contagious disease.”
Sikh Youth Australia would like to acknowledge the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of
Australia for their support on this initiative, and encourage everyone in the Sikh community to also refer to
the valuable resources in Punjabi provided by NSW Health:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/translated/punjabi.aspx.
To ensure the message resonates with the community, the videos feature Sikhs conveying their appealsin English and Punjabi in an attempt to breakdown any language or age barriers: