New Delhi: White House will organise a special ceremony in February to mark the 400th birth celebrations of Guru Granth Sahib, according to Dr Rajwant Singh, President, Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE), a Washington-based NGO.

"The ceremony was earlier planned for December 2003, but due to some pressing engagements, the Government told us to reschedule it. A one-day religious ceremony will now be held at White House, sometime in February," Dr Singh, who is in New Delhi, told reporters.

Every year White House hosts a ceremony at the time of Christmas and Jewish festivals. Since last four years, a dinner is also hosted at the end of Ramzan. We had requested the White House that keeping the sentiments of 500,000 US Sikhs in mind, one Sikh event should be celebrated in White House every year, he says.

"The ceremony would include religious renditions followed by speech either by the President or Vice President and senior Bush administration officials," he says.

SCORE is also planning a dinner at Capitol Hill, for US Congressmen and Senators, where we would also be inviting people from various other religions to increase their awareness about Sikhism, he says.

Celebrations at very large scale are being planned for September on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Guru Granth Sabib at Washington National Convention Centre, where both Sikhs and non-Sikhs would be invited.

"We want to tell everyone that Sikhism does not preach violence and that Guru Granth Sahib not only includes teachings of Guru Nanak but also many other religions and preachers," Dr Singh says.

"We also want the celebrations to be held at United Nations. For that, discussions are going on with UN officials," he says.

"All these things are being done to make everyone aware about Sikhism and Sikhs and the fact that we are a part of America, and no way associated with bin Laden or any other outfit," he says.

"After 9/11, to preserve our identity is the main issue and we are trying to create positive presence of Sikh community in various fields," he says noting "we have also requested President Bush that he appoint few Sikhs in his administration to show their positive presence."