Langar@DU will return to the Carnegie Green on May 31 for its fourth annual event. Serving over 7 million times a day as a practice of community building and engagement and unity, Langar (pronounced lung-er) is a Sikh tradition of sharing a free community meal regardless of varying identities. 

Langar@DU began four years ago with CAHSS professor Marji Karish. Karish was inspired by a similar event called Langar-In-The-Park. To put on a similar event on DU’s campus, Karish worked with the president of the Colorado Sikhs, Dilpreet Jammu, to create a curriculum that allowed students to work with community leaders. 

This curriculum was introduced following the pandemic. Students in the 2021’s Inclusive Community Class (COMM 2040) were inspired to run the event to reconnect and rebuild a sense of community, as people were moving past the isolation. The first Langar@DU was held in 2022. 

Now, the Inclusive Community Class, led by Karish, is taught every spring quarter. The goal of the course is to experience cross-cultural collaboration and communication with internal DU partners and local community leaders.

Through these experiences, the course culminates with Langar@DU.

This practice of community and unity is why Langar@DU is an event that welcomes all ages and abilities. Beyond the free food, “there are activities and games for everyone and the students have taken special attention to ensure the Langar@DU is accessible and utilizes best practices for sustainability,” said Karish. 

The class is divided into several sections, each handling a different aspect of the Langar. Groups include branding and marketing teams, which help to spread awareness about the event, including responding to interviews, distributing posters, social media outreach and video production. 

“As the professor, I am inspired by the work the students do each year as they form close bonds and welcome thousands of people to a Langar which they plan and run. The organizational and communication skills that the students develop are significant, especially in an event that takes place outside of what is typical outside of their past experience,” said Karish.

Other groups responsible for the event include venue logistics, community engagement, accessibility, sustainability and food preparation. 

This year, the students have planned and prepared the food that will be served, which will include a free vegetarian meal prepared and cooked on site at DU. Food preparation is a new feature for this year’s event, as it used to be provided through a third party.

“The main challenge thus far has been coordinating food prep and facilities to make sure we have the food ready and the space to serve it,” said Marc Schafer, responsible for the Langar’s PR and marketing.  

This year, the class anticipates serving over 1200 guests, including members from DU, the Sikh community of Denver, government officials and other local communities. In the past, these events have helped to feed over 5000 members of the DU community and the Sikh community. 

The students in Inclusive Community work in collaboration with the Colorado Sikhs to help put on a flawless event. 

The Colorado Sikhs are a nonprofit organization focused on promoting diversity, understanding and awareness as the Sikhs are the 5th largest religion in the world and often go unrecognized. 

Beyond involving the DU community and the Colorado Sikh community, those in charge of the event work tirelessly to help spread Langar throughout Colorado. 

“Some things that involve the larger Denver community include donating extra food to those in need and inviting all members of various local organizations to attend or participate,” said Schafer. 

However, those helping to plan the event are not limited to members of Karish’s Inclusive Community Class. In fact, other students can volunteer in a variety of roles.

“It also helps us greatly to have more awareness and more attendance at the event, so we encourage all students to tell their friends and family and join us on May 31st for some great food and a great community,” said Schafer. 

Sign up on the Langar@DU website to volunteer and/or attend the event on May 31, and get involved with this great tradition.