Simran Bains reflects on the 19th annual Vaisakhi celebrations in Parliament and explains why faith leaders and healthcare professionals must unite to tackle oral health injustice.
I was honoured to be invited to mark Vaisakhi 2026 through my work with the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) and the College of Dentistry, as the British Sikh Consultative Forum convened parliamentarians, faith leaders, health professionals and community organisations at the Speaker’s State Rooms, House of Commons.
The 19th Annual Vaisakhi at Westminster united celebration with civic purpose, bringing together voices from across the UK to address one of the most pressing issues facing communities today – health inequalities.
Vaisakhi is one of the most significant dates in the Sikh calendar, marking renewal, gratitude, equality and the creation of the Khalsa in 1699.
