Bill Text: IL SR0464 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Declares October 2025 as Hindu Heritage Month in the State of Illinois. Encourages the residents of Illinois to recognize and celebrate the vibrant contributions of the Hindu community to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of the State.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Passed) 2025-10-29 - Resolution Adopted [SR0464 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2025-SR0464-Introduced.html
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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, Hinduism, one of the world's oldest living | ||||||
| 3 | religions, has over one billion followers worldwide, including | ||||||
| 4 | a growing and vibrant community of Hindus in Illinois who | ||||||
| 5 | contribute to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of the | ||||||
| 6 | State; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, Hinduism has greatly influenced global cultures, | ||||||
| 8 | science, architecture, literature, medicine, philosophy, and | ||||||
| 9 | art, advancing the shared knowledge and growth of humanity; | ||||||
| 10 | and | ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, Hindu heritage celebrates values, including | ||||||
| 12 | nonviolence and truth, referred to as Ahimsa and Satya | ||||||
| 13 | respectively, in addition to tolerance, mutual respect, and | ||||||
| 14 | pluralism, and these values align with the principles of | ||||||
| 15 | justice and equality, which are foundational to the State of | ||||||
| 16 | Illinois and the United States; and | ||||||
| 17 | WHEREAS, Hinduism, known by its followers as Sanatarma | ||||||
| 18 | Dharma, meaning "the Eternal Truth" or "the Eternal Way", is | ||||||
| 19 | not merely a religion but a way of life, emphasizing universal | ||||||
| 20 | values, including truth, or satya, nonviolence, or ahimsa, | ||||||
| 21 | compassion, or karuna, selfless service, or seva, and respect | ||||||
| 22 | for all forms of life; and | ||||||
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| 1 | WHEREAS, Sanatarma Dharma teaches the interconnectedness | ||||||
| 2 | of all beings, the pursuit of knowledge and self-realization, | ||||||
| 3 | and the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning "the world | ||||||
| 4 | is one family"; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, Numerous Hindu temples, spiritual centers, | ||||||
| 6 | cultural organizations, and festivals are based in Illinois, | ||||||
| 7 | further enriching the cultural landscape of the State and | ||||||
| 8 | fostering greater understanding and respect among communities; | ||||||
| 9 | and | ||||||
| 10 | WHEREAS, Hindu Americans have made significant | ||||||
| 11 | contributions in the fields of technology, business, medicine, | ||||||
| 12 | education, science, art, and public service, enhancing the | ||||||
| 13 | prosperity and success of the State of Illinois; and | ||||||
| 14 | WHEREAS, For followers of Hinduism, October is an | ||||||
| 15 | important month that corresponds with the celebration of a | ||||||
| 16 | number of festivals, including Navaratri, Durga Puja, and | ||||||
| 17 | Diwali, marking it as a time of spiritual significance, | ||||||
| 18 | cultural expression, and community togetherness across the | ||||||
| 19 | State of Illinois and the United States; and | ||||||
| 20 | WHEREAS, Observing Hindu Heritage Month honors the | ||||||
| 21 | contributions of the Hindu community, promotes interfaith | ||||||
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| 1 | dialogue, and encourages the celebration of Illinois' cultural | ||||||
| 2 | diversity; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 3 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 4 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare October | ||||||
| 5 | 2025 as Hindu Heritage Month in the State of Illinois; and be | ||||||
| 6 | it further | ||||||
| 7 | RESOLVED, That we encourage the residents of Illinois to | ||||||
| 8 | recognize and celebrate the vibrant contributions of the Hindu | ||||||
| 9 | community to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of the | ||||||
| 10 | State. | ||||||
