The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that the annual Diwali on the Square celebrations will take place in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 29 October with a host of family-friendly entertainment; reports Columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.
The capital’s celebration of the Festival of Lights will see Londoners and people from around the world join together in the heart of the capital to enjoy a fantastic array of dance, music, activities and food from 1-7pm.
This free, non-ticketed event is delivered in partnership with the Diwali in London committee, with headline sponsorship from Remitly. The volunteer-led committee helps to select the programme for the event, and comprises of a range of community leaders.
The event opens with 200 colourfully dressed dancers followed by an exciting mix of performances from artists drawn from London’s Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities.
There will be a host of market stalls and activities to enjoy, including dance workshops, yoga and meditation, Ramayana Puppet shows, Soho Theatre comedy, and the Glimpse of Goddesses stall where visitors can find out more about Hindu goddesses, sari and turban tying.
This year there will also be the Diwali Queen and a series of dance performances presented by ‘Kalasetu,’ a collaborative project between Subrang Arts and Kinetika commissioned on behalf of This is Croydon, the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture 2023.
An array of South Asian food stalls will be serving up delicious traditional and fusion, vegan and vegetarian cuisine.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Diwali on the Square is a cornerstone in London’s calendar of cultural events, providing a wonderful celebration of colour and light in the heart of our great capital. I’m delighted that Londoners and visitors of all backgrounds will once again be joining together for a fantastic family-friendly afternoon of entertainment to mark the symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. By celebrating our city’s diversity, we are building a better, fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.”
Sanjay Gadhvi, Iskcon, Chair of Diwali in London Committee 2023, said: “On our 22nd year of Diwali on Trafalgar Square, always supported by the Mayor of London, we pray for peace and harmony. Wishing all a Happy Diwali.”
Prof Ray Lloyd, CEO of Global Banking School (GBS) and Diwali on the Square’s Presenting Partner, said: “Global Banking School is delighted to support this event which aligns with our values of celebrating the strength of diversity within our communities. Global Banking School (GBS), part of the GEDU Group, is transforming futures through education. GBS offer a range of sector-relevant courses across five locations – East London, West London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Working in partnership with several of the UK’s leading higher education providers, we deliver vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in finance, accounting, business, construction, tourism, healthcare – and more.”
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