Diwali is a significant festival for many people worldwide celebrated by Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and some Buddhist communities. Also known as the festival of lights, it celebrates the new year and the triumph of good over evil. This year, it took place on 24th October.

Being one of the most significant religious festivals, comparable to Christmas, there are big celebrations in order, in true style of the vibrant South Asian community. However, celebrations are often curtailed when the British calendar goes on without pausing to allow the marking of this auspicious day for many in the country.

Recently in New York, a public school holiday on Diwali has been officially declared, starting in 2023. This is to raise awareness and appreciation for the Diwali celebrating communities in New York. This leads me to ask, should British cities follow their example?

Though a less significant proportion of the population celebrates Diwali in comparison to the number of people who celebrate Christmas or other Christian festivals; Asian migrants, many of whom celebrate Diwali, are one of the largest ethnic-minority groups in England. They deserve to be represented, and giving them time to celebrate this festival with their friends and families is a way of recognising their contribution to society and a way of being inclusive. Refusal to recognise this occasion could create the impression of hostility towards these communities.

Over half of the UK’s Hindu population lives in London, so a bank holiday for certain cities might be an option policy makers could consider. Similar to New York, there could be a bank holiday for school children, allowing Hindu and Sikh children to learn about and practice their religious traditions, whilst also enabling fellow school children to develop an understanding of and appreciation of different faiths.

Even an optional bank holiday for people across the UK would have a huge impact. Permission to take a day off work would assist in the recognition of the significance of this festival for so many people, and would make a huge difference to the celebrations.

With an increasing diverse society, perhaps it’s time that our public holidays reflected the needs of all our citizens.