New York: Mayor Eric Adams in a major announcement said that the occasion of Diwali will be a holiday for the New York City public schools starting from next year 2023.
Jennifer Rajkumar, New York Assembly Member who introduced the legislation to recognize Diwali as a public holiday joined Mayor Eric Adams during the announcement.
Legislators swapped out Anniversary Day, better known to old-timers as “Brooklyn-Queens Day,” which is celebrated on the first Thursday in June, for Diwali in the public school calendar.
According to a New York Post report, Anniversary Day has reportedly been on the books since 1829, with schools observing the holiday since the mid-1900s.
Talking at the event, Jennifer said “The time has come to recognize over 200,000 New Yorkers of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain faiths who celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights.”
Mayor Adams while speaking at the event said “We are going to encourage children to learn about what Diwali is,”.
He further added “We’re going to have them start talking about what it is to celebrate the Festival of Lights, and how do you turn a light on within yourself,”.
Actor Priyanka Chopra, on Sunday, reacted to the announcement that Diwali will be a holiday in New York City public schools from next year.
Taking to her Instagram Stories, Priyanka reposted a video where the New York City Mayor announced that Diwali will be a public school holiday. Alongside the video, she wrote, “After all these years! My teenage self living in Queens is crying tears of joy. #representationmatters.”
(With Agency Inputs)