Member for abbotsford south well. Thank you very much, mr speaker. On the 14th of april, the traditional harvest vessel, the festival of asaki will be celebrated as one of the most important dates of the year. It is usually celebrated on either the 13th or 14th of april to commemorate the solar new year. The sake is a sikh and hindu festival with deep historic roots. That's celebrated by many communities all around the world. The festival is very important in sikhism, as it is also a day to celebrate the year.

1699 the year when sikhism was born as a collective faith, communities hold parades throughout the streets with lot with lots of singing hymns prayers and colorful clothes known as nagar, curtain, abbotsford and bc have a strong and celebrated sikh. Community abbotsford is home to the gursic temple a national historic site since 2002 and known as the oldest existing sikh temple in north america, it's more than a hundred years old, mr speaker, and it remains as a symbol of the long history of sikh canadians in abbotsford and their service to our community and province.

I am inspired by the work of the sikh community in bc, and I have truly appreciate all that they do. Their aid throughout the entire covid19 pandemic shows how incredibly gracious and generous they are, and both communities. Generous spirit, was also incredibly apparent during the devastating floods.

Last november, the hindu cultural society made efforts to send a trailer full of supplies to evacuees from merits in kelowna and the sikhs delivered thousands of meals to those that were stranded, as we all know, covet has prevented gatherings, and we know that this vasaki will be extra special to many. So I would like to thank both the sikh and the hindu communities for their constant devotion to the province and to the people of this province, and I wish them truly this year a very happy vasaki.