Vaisakhi, the Sikh New Year Festival will be celebrated this year on Sunday 4th May on Trafalgar Square.

Organised by the Mayor of London, in association with the Vaisakhi in London Committee the event is open to all Londoners and visitors to the capital.

The ceremony will start with prayers and messages for peace, followed by afternoon performances of traditional and modern Asian music and dance.

Vaisakhi is the holiest day of the calendar for Sikhs worldwide.

Traditionally the celebration takes the form of continuous, non-stop reading of the Sikh Scripture over a period of three days, followed by the singing of sacred hymns.

The service ends with a final prayer for the good and well being of all humanity, and the serving of langar (sacramental food).

The festival promotes friendship and mutual respect, a message that has particular relevance to London, the most ethnically diverse city in Europe, where over 300 languages are spoken and over 14 major faiths practised.

4:53pm Wednesday 6th February 2008

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