President Joe Biden wishes people on Diwali and highlights its significance
In his congratulations to the populace, US President Joe Biden emphasized the importance of Diwali and said that the White House now proudly celebrates the holiday.
Biden emphasized the South Asian American community’s contributions to the fabric of American society, claiming that it is the world’s fastest-growing and most active population.
On Monday (local time), the US president spoke at the White House Diwali celebrations and said, “The South Asian American community has enriched every part of American life.”
“The world’s most active and rapidly expanding community is yours…The White House now proudly and publicly celebrates Diwali,” he said.
The President also discussed the importance of the occasion, pointing out that the nation is at a “turning point” and urging everyone present to cherish the “Idea of America.”
In his reflection on the difficulties facing American democracy, he emphasized the need of unity and historical understanding while acknowledging the continuous arguments and disagreement that come with living in a varied community.
The home here is yours, not mine…We are at a turning point today.We are reminded every few generations to hold the American ideal in high regard. Democracy in America has never been simple. We argue and disagree in a nation as varied as ours, but the important thing is that we never forget how and why we arrived at this point,” Biden said.
The US President also remembered the first Diwali party he and First Lady Jill Biden had at the Vice President’s home in 2016. He praised his administration’s diversity, citing US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and current Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Only in America is everything possible,” Biden said.
The Bidens’ Diwali celebration has given this radiant ritual a distinctive twist throughout the years. In addition to traditional performances and dancers, the festival is marked by lights, color, music, and dancing.
President George W. Bush hosted the first White House Diwali celebrations in 2003. President Barack Obama also lit a diya in the Oval Office, and in 2016, then-Vice President Joe Biden hosted a reception.
In 2017, President Donald Trump lit a diya with his daughter Ivanka and Indian American officials, carrying on the Diwali custom. But the 15-year-old custom of official Diwali festivities at the White House was upended in 2018 by the pivotal midterm elections.
