New York City public schools will now observe the Diwali holiday, Mayor Eric Adams announced at a news conference Thursday.
Diwali, also called the festival of lights, is typically celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, and will be commemorated starting the next academic year.
“For over two decades, South Asians and Indo-Caribbeans in New York have been fighting for the Diwali school holiday,” she said.
“I stand on the shoulders of those advocates.”In making space for the holiday, Adams says he hopes non-South Asian students will start to learn about it too.
“When we acknowledge Diwali, we are going to encourage children to learn about what is Diwali,” he said.