Oct. 28 (UPI) — President Joe Biden headlined a White House gathering Monday evening to celebrate the traditional Hindu holiday of Diwali, as he called America “our power to be the light.”
Biden gave his remarks for the final time as commander-in-chief during the Festival of Lights celebration in the East Room of the White House, where he greeted children and welcomed a special message from American astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams at the International Space Station.
“We thought what a wonderful way to celebrate the Festival of Lights at the White House by looking up into the heavens to keep our heads high as we seek the spirit of Diwali, knowledge over ignorance, goodness over hate, unity over division and to look up focused on the North Star of our nation,” Biden said.
Williams is a NASA astronaut and retired Navy captain at the ISS, where in September she became commander.
“I want to extend my warmest wishes for a happy Diwali to everyone celebrating the Festival of Lights today at the White House and around the world. This year, I have the unique opportunity to celebrate Diwali from 260 miles above the Earth on the ISS,” Williams said in a videotaped message, as she honored her father who immigrated to the United States from India.
“He kept and shared his cultural roots by teaching us about Diwali and other Indian festivals,” Williams added. “I am so grateful to have grown up in a multicultural household where our parents encouraged us to seek opportunities and reach for the stars.”
According to the White House, Biden lit a Diya lamp in the Blue Room before giving his remarks in a “continued tradition from previous years” to recognize American citizens of India’s vast cultural background and the more than 5 million Indian nationals currently living in the United States.
Diwali, a five-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists, is the biggest and most important holiday of the year in India for its culturally diverse population of more than 1 billion people. Each year, it celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.
The holiday is based on the Indian lunar calendar and falls on a different date each year, typically between mid-October and mid-November. Last year, Diwali was declared a public school holiday in New York City by Mayor Eric Adams.
The White House celebration for Diwali is a tradition that dates to 2003 under then-President George W. Bush.
This year’s White House entertainment was provided by the traditional Marine Corps Band and Nootana, which is a classical Washington-based South Asian dance and music group.
Biden told those gathered Monday that “Generations before you have brought thousands of years of heritage and tradition to give shape and meaning to American life. Now Diwali is celebrated openly and proudly here in the White House.”
“American democracy has never been easy in a country as diverse as ours,” Biden added. “The key is we never lose sight as to how we got here and why. America reminds us all of our power to be the light.”
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