Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that Diwali gives a "powerful lesson" to the world about everyone's obligation to care for each other.
"At its core, Diwali is about the idea that light will push back against darkness, that compassion, curiosity can overcome ignorance, that each of us has an obligation to care for the other," he said on Friday at the State Department celebration of the festival.
"I can think of no greater lesson we might take away from today than that," he added.
The festival is "also a reminder of all the ways that South Asian culture – and Americans of South Asian heritage – have enriched our nation, from the novels of Jhumpa Lahiri to the fashion designs of Prabal Gurung," he noted.
In addition, India has provided the US leaders in most fields.
"The United States derives so much strength from this diversity, including truly remarkable public servants – I can think of one offhand – the Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris, World Bank President Ajay Banga, our very own Deputy Secretary of State Rich Verma," he said.
Remarking on the coincidence of Diwali falling on October 31 this year, which is traditionally celebrated here as Halloween, Blinken said amidst laughter, "I understand that there are some people in the United States who've even been throwing 'Diwalloween' parties."
Reminds me of all the Diwali celebrations our mission in India organized each year," Verma said, who had spent a stint in New Delhi doing diplomacy. "From New Delhi to Mumbai to Kolkata to Chennai to Hyderabad."
"Every Diwali was different, not just for the beautiful diyas and rangolis and marigold adornments but also, again, for the incredible sense of community and togetherness that the festival fostered," he said.
"And it is in this spirit that we also think about observing communities in so many other countries as well – Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago," he added.
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