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Province of B.C. proclaims Diwali Fest Days

Diwali celebrations held in Surrey, Coquitlam, Vancouver
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Ashwani Narwani, a member of the Diwali Fest board, at the Diwali Fest celebrations in Surrey. Narwani said the Festival of Light is one of the largest celebrations in India and on the Indian sub-continent. (Tricia Weel/Black Press Media)

The Province of British Columbia has officially proclaimed Oct. 15 to Nov. 10 as Diwali Fest Days. 

Diwali Fest, organized by the Diwali Celebration Society, originated in 2004 as the Vancouver Celebrates Diwali Festival. 

Since then, it has evolved to become one of the largest Diwali-themed events in the Lower Mainland, hosting Diwali celebrations across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. 

Among this year’s events was the annual Diwali Downtown Surrey celebration, which took place Sunday, Oct. 20 at Surrey City Hall, with music and dance performances by South Asian artists, plus a Diwali market, food trucks, and arts and crafts. 

The organization also hosted a Diwali celebration at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam on Oct. 18, as well as Diwali in Downtown Vancouver on Sunday, Oct. 27 at the Roundhouse Community Centre. 

The provincial proclamation acknowledges the importance of such celebrations in engaging with multi-ethnic communities and promoting cross-cultural understanding. 

“The government of British Columbia acknowledges the historic and current contributions of the South Asian community and supports Diwali Fest and other Diwali celebrations in their promotion of arts, culture, community participation, inclusiveness, and social and cultural connectedness,” the proclamation reads, in part. 

See www.diwalifest.ca for more on the organization’s efforts. 



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