QUEENS, NEW YORK, December 4, 2007: Last week, a meeting convened by the New York City Assemblyman for the Sikh community has decided to provide prayer facilities for Sikhs at the John F Kennedy Airport in New York. Airport officials agreed that there was a need for a prayer room for Sikh travelers. The participation of Sikhs at the meeting was orchestrated by Amarjit Singh, United Sikhs’ multifaith coordinator.
Assemblyman Rori Lancman said, “The Sikh community is a growing population in Queens, and many Sikhs go back and forth to India quite regularly. Sikhs travelers deserve a place to worship at JFK airport alongside those currently set aside for other faiths, and I am very pleased that the Port Authority has committed to work with the community to obtain this goal.”
“The Queens area of New York has received a large number of Sikh migrants for many decades and the JFK airport is a hub for Sikh travelers. Therefore the Port Authority’s accommodation of Sikhs’ needs is a step in the right direction,” said Avtar Singh Pannu, President of the Sikh Cultural Society.
Currently there are 4 prayer rooms at JFK airport – for Catholics, Protestants, Jews and a multifaith room. The Port Authority has agreed to subdivide the existing multifaith prayer room to accomodate Sikh travelers.