Sikhs in the Greater Toronto Area — and around the globe — celebrated Gurpurab, the birthday of the Sikh religion’s founder, on Saturday.

An event at the Sikh Heritage Museum of Canada in Mississauga paid tribute to the Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birthday, as well as an early Remembrance Day gathering to honour the service of Sikh soldiers in Canada and the former British Commonwealth.

Canada’s own Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan, made an appearance at the Museum’s festivities, which included an exhibit of artifacts from both World Wars and traditional Gurpurab celebrations at the nearby Malton gurdwara.

Pardeep Singh Nagra, executive director of the Sikh Heritage Museum, said that Sikh soldiers — and Sikh culture more broadly — have a long, rich history in Canada.

Gurpurab is among the holiest days of the Sikh religious calendar. It is traditionally celebrated with feasting, donations of food to charity, parades, and music, along with religious observances in gurdwaras.

Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly on Saturday released a statement marking the occasion, saying: “Canada is proud to be home to one of the largest Sikh communities outside India. As we celebrate Canada 150 and our rich diversity, the birthday of Guru Nanak is an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the enormous contribution that Sikh Canadians have made to our society.”\

Correction – November 7, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version to update an incorrect photo caption.