Proposal to dedicate Oct 24 to Guru Teg Bahadur sent to UN

The proposal was officially conveyed through a detailed letter signed by Guru Nanak Dev University vice-chancellor Karamjeet Singh and addressed to United Nations secretary-general António Guterres.

Guru Nanak Dev University has formally proposed to the United Nations to designate October 24 (UN Foundation Day) as the “Day of Universal Conscience” in honour of of Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru terming him as ‘the world’s most revered defender of freedom of conscience’.

The proposal is backed by the Amritsar Declaration on Universal Conscience, unanimously adopted during the National Seminar on the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur, which was held at university campus during November 11–12, 2025.

The proposal was officially conveyed through a detailed letter signed by Guru Nanak Dev University vice-chancellor Karamjeet Singh and addressed to United Nations secretary-general António Guterres.

The proposal is backed by the Amritsar Declaration on Universal Conscience, unanimously adopted during the National Seminar on the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur, which was held at university campus during November 11–12, 2025. As many as 70 eminent scholars deliberated and endorsed the declaration, which was formally read and presented by the vice-chancellor.

The declaration—enclosed with the proposal—presents Guru Teg Bahadur’s message.

To ensure the proposal reaches the UN Secretary-General directly, the university has authorised Jaspreet Singh, Attorney at Law (USA) and professor of eminence at the University, to personally submit the documents at the United Nations headquarters, New York.

The university also circulated the proposal and declaration to India’s key constitutional authorities, including President, Prime Minister, Punjab governor, Punjab chief minister, Punjab education minister, and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president.