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Asian Voice | 7th October 2017
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Mayor of London welcomes all to celebrate light over darkness at Diwali in Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square will be transformed with a colourful and vibrant mix of music, dance and live performance to mark the Mayor of London’s annual Diwali celebrations on 15 October. Londoners from all communities and visitors to the capital are invited to attend the celebrations, which feature lively music and dance, delicious food and drink, plus activities for the whole family to enjoy. The free event is being organised to mark Diwali, the 'Festival of Lights', which is observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains in India and many other countries around the world. It is being staged by the Mayor of London with presenting partner Lebara Mobile and supporting partners UK-India Year of Cultre, BBC Asian Network
and The LaLit Hotel. The Diwali Festival is produced in association with the Diwali in London committee. The festivities will kick off with a colourful procession of flags, taken from Kinetika’s ambitious project Silk River, which explored the unique relationship between London
and Kolkata through a year’s artistic exchange between communities along the Thames Estuary and Hooghly River. All are invited to enjoy traditional garba dancing accompanied by a fullscale garba band before a variety of live music and dance performances take to the stage. Later, BBC Asian Network will be introducing the best of British Asian contemporary music talent, from London based dueo Parle Patel and Pritee Varsani to India based rapper and producer Ra0ol. Throughout the day, an Indian street food market will sell a variety of tasty vegetarian food and nonalcoholic drinks. There will
also be plenty of chances to stock up on Indian essentials including jewellery, spices, rangoli and ayurvedic products. Revellers will have the chance to don a sari, learn a Bollywood dance, participate in yoga and meditation sessions for beginners, get a henna tattoo, pick up top health tips, find out more about Diwali and the faiths behind it, or simply enjoy this year’s illuminations. A comedy line-up featuring Aditi Mittal, one of the first women to do stand-up comedy in India, will also entertain on the day. Children can take part in a range of activities at the festival, including story-telling sessions, games, and arts and crafts all linked to Diwali traditions. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “As Mayor of London, I want to send my warmest wishes to everyone celebrating Diwali in London and
around the world. “During this wonderful festival of lights, we come together to share the story of Rama and Sita, to light candles in our homes, and to pay tribute to the warmth and generosity of our Hindu, Sikh and Jain brothers and sisters. Friends and families reflect on the past year together, and mark the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and friendship over enmity. “Diwali’s central message of peace and mutual respect is one that we can all learn from. It reminds us that London succeeds when London is open to all. “From my family to yours, Happy Diwali and a prosperous new year.” Ravi Bhanot, Diwali in London Committee Chairperson 2017, said: “This year we celebrate 16th year of Diwali in Trafalgar Square, London. In this, the UK-India Year of Culture, we invite all to
come, share and enjoy this wonderful festival that is filled with lights, lamps, music, dances, prashad (oblation) and much more. This occasion is of great significance to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists and is increasingly a festival celebrated by people of all walks of life. The underlying theme of peace and mutual respect is relevant and meaningful to all Londoners. On behalf of all diverse organisations of DiL, I wish you a very Happy Diwali.” Dr Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson and Managing Director of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group said: “We are delighted to be part of the Mayor of London's Diwali festivities at Trafalgar Square. This festival of lights celebrates the triumph of good over evil. The LaLiT London looks forward to welcoming the Londoners with our traditional Namaskar.”
Sewa Day: Fostering community cohesion, championing organ donation Continued from page 3 The issue of organ donation sadly came into the collective conscience of our community recently when a three-and-halfyear-old boy named Aari died in St George’s Hospital after a tragic accident. His family then made the courageous decision to donate their son’s organs to help save others. The inspirational act of this ultimate Sewa occurred against enormous odds – organ donation is still regrettably very uncommon in the Hindu community. After Aari’s death, Aari’s mother addressed this directly, writing in a heartfelt Facebook post, “We realise that our Hindu community is full of myths, but our story has changed this perception in everyone we know. We will continue to promote the kind giving-of-life that organ donation affords everyone regardless of colour, race, gender or religion.”
Last year, there were only 90 organ donors from Black and Asian communities. Contrast that with the 809 patients from the same background who received an organ transplant from a donor. On average, three people die every day in need of an organ transplant because there just aren't enough organ donors. This is why Sewa Day has partnered with the NHS and launched a nationwide campaign to encourage British Indians to register themselves as organ donors. Sewa Day, in the eight years it has been running, has opened minds and doors to various acts of kindness and cooperation, including forging relationships with other communities. It was particularly heartening to see the support leant by the Jewish community given the similarities this community endeavor shares with their Mitzvah Day. It is a joy to see this expression of friendship and collaboration between the Hindu
and Jewish faiths, and I am particularly grateful to Laura Marks and her team for their gesture in joining us on our Sewa Day trail last Sunday. The idea has an unmistakably edifying effect on communities to extend solidarity towards each other in the anxious post Brexit climate. I am convinced that in coming together, the Hindu and Jewish communities can be the best possible example of cohesive co-existence and inspire others to come forward in universal, unifying acts of kindness. To register for organ donation please visit www.sewaday.org. It takes less than 2 minutes to save a life! [Manoj Ladwa is a founding trustee of Sewa Day. He is the chief executive of India Inc, which publishes titles including India Global Business Magazine and the editor of a new study of the UK and India’s partnership, Winning Partnership: India-UK Relations Beyond Brexit.]