London, Oct 20 (PTI) - On Monday, Britain's royal family and Prime Minister Keir Starmer extended their Diwali greetings, emphasizing inclusiveness and sustainability during this year's Festival of Lights, as highlighted by the Indian High Commission in London.
“Wishing a very happy Diwali to everyone celebrating the Festival of Lights in the UK and around the world,” declared Buckingham Palace in a message disseminated across all its social media platforms.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also conveyed his wishes via social media to “Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across Britain” for a joyful Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas. Despite attending the Gaza peace summit in Egypt during the Diwali festivities held at 10 Downing Street last week, Starmer reflected on his recent visit to Mumbai earlier this month in his message.
“Earlier this month, I lit a diya in Mumbai as a symbol of devotion, joy, and renewed bonds. As we celebrate this Festival of Lights, let’s keep building a Britain where everyone can look ahead with hope,” he remarked.
Opposition Conservative Party Leader, Kemi Badenoch, praised the festival as a time for celebrating “light over darkness, hope over despair, and the power of family, community, and faith.”
Priti Patel, the Indian-origin shadow foreign secretary, echoed these sentiments saying, “Wishing a very Happy Diwali to all those celebrating the festival of lights in the UK, India, and around the world. May this Diwali bring blessings, peace, and prosperity to everyone.”
The Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, emphasized Deepavali as a central element of the Indian festive calendar in his video message.
“It is celebrated across all communities as an opportunity to bring together families and friends and celebrate the joys of the changing season, and the start of the cool season,” Doraiswami stated.
He further noted, “It is one of our most beloved festivals, not least because of the lights and traditional diyas that are lit up, but also for the opportunity to spend time with friends and family. Diwali these days is seen as an opportunity for an inclusive festival, a sustainable festival…”
“Sustainability not just purely in the environmental sense with the use of renewables in our lights and displays, but also in terms of ensuring that you make it sustainable by bringing together all communities amongst whom you live,” added Doraiswami.
He emphasized, “That is particularly applicable here in the United Kingdom as we celebrate the start of what is a longer festive season that continues right through to the end of the year.”
This month's Diwali festivities in the UK, including the Mayor of London’s Diwali on the Square, occurred mainly over weekends.
In eastern England, Leicester, known for its large-scale Diwali celebrations due to its significant Hindu population, is hosting a scaled-back event this year, excluding fireworks, following a local council's safety audit.
The city's Diwali Day will revolve around a Wheel of Light, a 110-foot-high Ferris wheel on Belgrave Road’s Golden Mile, illuminated with thousands of colors and closed to traffic.
“We know that this year’s celebrations will feel different, but our priority must be the safety of the public,” stated Councillor Vi Dempster, Leicester’s assistant city mayor for culture.
“We are absolutely determined that Diwali continues to be part of the city’s festive calendar. We will be working with partners and the local community to explore options for how the city builds on its proud tradition of bringing our communities together to celebrate the Festival of Light,” she added.
Meanwhile, hundreds gathered in Basingstoke and Reading in southern England for an annual outdoor Diwali celebration, hosted by Kala the Arts over Saturday and Sunday.
The fifth annual event included theatrical processions with giant illuminated puppets, dhol music, classical dance performances, and lantern installations, all free to attend.
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