NEW York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced that Diwali will be recognised as a public school holiday in The City That Never Sleeps starting next year.
City legislators swapped out Anniversary Day, traditionally celebrated on the first Thursday in June, for Diwali in the public school calendar. This is despite the fact that the date of Diwali fluctuates year to year. This year, the holiday will start on October 24.
During the press conference announcing this change, Adams called the decision “long overdue”, and an acknowledgment of Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities that have been part of the city for decades.
“We are going to encourage children to learn about what is Diwali,” he said. “We’re going to have them start talking about what it is to celebrate the Festival of Lights, and how do you turn a light on within yourself.”
“The time has come to recognise over 200,000 New Yorkers of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain faiths who celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights,” said New York state assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, who introduced the legislation.
“People have said that there’s simply not enough room in the New York City school calendar to have a Diwali school holiday,” the assemblywoman said. “Well, my legislation makes the room.”
She also referred to Adams as “the Hindu mayor” because of his publicised plant-based diet and meditation routines.
“When we take this period to acknowledge Diwali, we’re acknowledging the light that is within us, the light that clearly can push away darkness,” the mayor said.
Despite having one of the most diverse populations in the country, with residents of just about every nationality, many holidays like Chinese New Year and Eid al-Fitr that we take for granted are not public holidays in New York City.
A lot of this has to do with state education laws, which require 180 school days every year. Still, teachers are generally understanding if students need to take a day off to celebrate their festivities. – The Vibes, October 21, 2022
