City
of Tulare in California has become the eighth city in USA to declare October 25
as “Rajan Zed Day” after distinguished Hindu and interfaith statesman Rajan
Zed.
Cities
of Hartford (Connecticut), Taylorsville (Utah), Madera (California), Sparks
(Nevada), Chowchilla (California), Sanger (California) and Exeter (California)
have already declared October 25 as “Rajan Zed Day”. City of Reno (Nevada) has
also proclaimed a day in Zed’s recognition twice in the past.
Proclamation,
signed by Tulare Mayor David Macedo, said: “we honor Rajan Zed’s initiatives to
bring various religious communities together throughout the world so that they
can live in peace and mutual trust and enrich themselves through dialogue”.
It
stated: “we honor his work to uplift approximately 15 million Roma (Gypsies)
people of Europe who live in apartheid conditions by frequently voicing their
maltreatment, issues and concerns; and urging other religious leaders to do the
same”.
Proclamation
noted: “we honor Rajan Zed’s leadership roles in attempting to help the
helpless”.
It
further said: “we honor his efforts to help the Hindu communities spread
throughout the United States of America and the world, including California”.
“I,
David Macedo, Mayor of the City of Tulare, do hereby proclaim Friday, October
25, 2013 as Rajan Zed Day in the City of Tulare, encouraging the community to
honor the Hindu message that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and
therefore practice noninjury, in thought, word and deed”, Proclamation added.
Zed,
who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, opened the Tulare City
Council on July two with its first Hindu invocation in 125 years of its
incorporation containing verses from world’s oldest existing scripture, and
after sprinkling few drops of water from river Ganga of India considered holy
by Hindus.
October
25 is Rajan Zed’s birthday.
Zed
is a global religious leader, who besides taking up the cause of religion
worldwide, has also raised huge voice against the apartheid faced by about
15-million Roma (Gypsies) in Europe. Bestowed with World Interfaith Leader
Award; Zed is Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to Foundation for Religious
Diplomacy, Spiritual Advisor to National Association of Interchurch &
Interfaith Families, etc.
Hinduism,
oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents
and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million
Hindus in USA.
Female
majority Tulare, founded in 1872 and which sits in the heart of some of the
most productive farmland in the world, has “worship” as part of its Mission
Statement. The town burned down and was rebuilt three times in its first 14
years. Craig Vejvoda and Don Dorman are Vice Mayor and City Manager
respectively. Prominent people associated with Tulare include Olympic gold
medalists Sim Iness and Bob Mathias, football players Zac Diles and Dominique
Dorsey, NASCAR driver Matt Crafton and baseball player Mike Morgan.
Details
of the picture attached:
Just
before the Tulare City Council Hindu invocation, from right to left, are—
Councilmember Melvin "Skip" Barwick, Vice Mayor Craig Vejvoda, Hindu
statesman Rajan Zed, Mayor David Macedo, Councilmember Shea Gowin, City Manager
Don Dorman, Councilmember Carlton Jones and City Attorney Martin D.
Koczanowicz.