Diwali will be a public school holiday in New York City starting 2023

‘When we acknowledge Diwali, we are going to encourage children to learn about Diwali,’ says Mayor Eric Adams

Diwali will be a public school holiday in New York City starting 2023 with Mayor Eric Adams saying this sends a message about the significance of the city’s inclusiveness and the “long overdue” step will encourage children to learn about the festival of lights.

Adams, joined by New York Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar and New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks, said on Thursday that in his conversations during the campaign trail, he “learned so much” about Diwali and what the festival of lights means.

He said through declaring Diwali a holiday in New York City public schools, “We wanted to send a loud and clear message to the countless number of people who acknowledge this period of time of celebration.

“At the same time, this is an educational moment because when we acknowledge Diwali, we are going to encourage children to learn about Diwali. We're going to have them start talking about what it is to celebrate the festival of lights, and how to turn the light on within yourself,” he said.

Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal thanked Mr. Adams for making Diwali a school holiday.

“This had been a long pending demand of the Indian-American community. The recognition gives a deeper meaning to diversity and pluralism in New York City, while allowing people from all walks of life to experience, celebrate and enjoy Indian ethos and heritage,” he said.

Ms. Rajkumar, the first South Asian-American woman ever to be elected to a state office in New York, said she is proud to say that “our time has come. The time has come to recognise over 2,00,000 New Yorkers of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain faiths who celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights.”