Projects

SAPAC is currently engaged in three main project areas:

• Education / Combating Communalism
• Local Community Empowerment
• Art and Cultural Expression

Use the links at left to learn more about our projects. To get involved in any of our activities or suggest new ones, please contact us or come to our next meeting.

More info

What kinds of political issues do you tackle?

The list of issues changes over time and is defined by the needs and the interests of our membership.  We currently have active campaigns on the following issues:

• Combating communalism and interethnic, interreligious, or intercultural conflict in South Asia

• Political mobilization within the Chicago South Asian community

• Globalization and its impact on South Asia

• Allying with people's movements in South Asia

• Art and expression from the diaspora

Browse through our website to get a more detailed idea about the range of work we do.  We also try to create an open and welcoming space for those with new ideas that they are passionate about.  If you would like to propose new work to add to the SAPAC agenda please contact us with your thoughts or come to the next meeting.

What is SAPAC’s position on communal tensions and violence in South Asia?

SAPAC condemns communal violence and intolerance in all its forms.  Recently, many communities in South Asia have been assaulted based on their religion and ethnicity, including (but are not limited to) Hindus and Ahmadiyas in Bangladesh; Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and Dalits in parts of India; Hindus in Kashmir; and Hindus, Sikhs, and Shias in Pakistan.  The list is long and it feels as if it is getting longer every day.  We can do something about it.  We hope that through education, dialogue, and concerted action, we can deter hate-mongering and communal violence and help foster peace between communities. 

We believe that the majority of the citizens of South Asian countries want to live peaceful prosperous lives in a diverse society, and that a minority intentionally exploits cultural differences between communities to further its political cause through hate-mongering and violence.  Our interest in fighting intolerance is based on the belief that intolerance often leads to human rights abuses and is harmful to a diverse democratic society.

We are looking for individuals and groups who want to help prevent communal violence in South Asia and find justice for victims of human rights abuses.  Our interest in fighting communal violence is broad and includes concern for all the countries and peoples of South Asia.  SAPAC is looking to form links with South Asian communities and individuals to address the issue of intolerance and communalism across the subcontinent and across ethnic and religious groups.

I’m not interested in politics, but I’m passionate about the arts. Is there a place for me in SAPAC?

Definitely! SAPAC members are involved in a lot of arts-related work and planning, such as film screenings, spoken word performances, a writer’s circle, and a literary festival.  Many of these arts-based ventures have spun off into independent organizations.  SAPAC members still form the core leadership, and SAPAC as a body is engaged in ensuring the inclusion of art that reflects and promotes progressive values.   Please see the Art and Cultural Expression page for more info.