[Photograph of Christy Clark at the Sikh temple in Vancouver]

Photograph of Christy Clark addressing the audience at the Sikh Temple (gurdwara) located in Vancouver, British Columbia (B.C.). Individuals had gathered at the Sikh Temple for the Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan, an annual event hosted and organized by the Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver.

Christy Clark was born and raised in Burnaby, B.C., where she later attended Simon Fraser University. Clark's educational pursuits also took her to the University of Edinburgh and the Sorbonne. She ran successfully as the B.C. Liberal Party candidate in the riding of Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain in the 1996 provincial general election and was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly to represent Port Moody-Westwood in 2001. Clark served as Deputy Premier, Minister of Education, Minister of Children and Family Development and Vice-Chair of Treasury Board. In 2005, she stepped back from public life to spend more time with family. In the ensuing years, Clark worked in media as a columnist, commentator and as host of the "Christy Clark Show" on Vancouver radio station CKNW. In 2011, she returned to provincial politics, winning the leadership of the governing B.C. Liberal Party and thereby becoming Premier of British Columbia. In a subsequent by-election, Clark was elected to represent the riding of Vancouver-Point Grey in the Legislative Assembly. Through her re-election in 2013, this time in the riding of Westside-Kelowna, Clark became the first woman elected as Premier in British Columbia. Among her initiatives as Premier, Clark brought the anti-bullying "Pink Shirt Campaign" to British Columbia to raise awareness of issues related to bullying in schools, workplaces and communities. She was re-elected in the 2017 provincial general election, becoming the first woman to be re-elected as Premier in British Columbia. Following the change of government in British Columbia in July 2017, Clark became the Leader of the Official Opposition. She resigned as leader of the BC Liberal Party and the member for Kelowna West in August 2017. Clark is a recipient of many awards, including the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award in 2009.

Vaisakhi is one of the most important festivals in Sikhi, marking the formation of the Khalsa in 1699 by the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It is a time of renewal, gratitude, and unity, celebrated with processions, prayers, and acts of service. Beyond its significance in Sikh history, Vaisakhi is also a harvest festival in Punjab, observed with joy and thanksgiving. Additionally, Vaisakhi holds special significance for Hindus, as it marks the beginning of the solar new year and is celebrated in various regions of India under different names, such as Pohela Boishakh in Bengal and Puthandu in Tamil Nadu.

The Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver oversees the Vaisakhi celebrations in Vancouver. The Khalsa Diwan Society is a pioneer Sikh society, one of the oldest in Vancouver, formed on July 22, 1902 in British Columbia, Canada, formally established in 1906. In 1908, the Society purchased and built the first Sikh temple in Vancouver, which was located on West 2nd Avenue. This is believed to be the first Sikh temple in the whole of the American continent. This temple served the Sikh community until a new temple was occupied on April 25, 1970. The original temple was sold to build a bigger (present) temple located on Ross Street. The Khalsa Diwan Society has been a pioneer in raising Sikhi related issues and getting recognition for Sikhs in Canada. It continues to build a strong community based on Sikh values and principles. Every year the society organizes sports activities, including soccer and wrestling tournaments.