London Mayor Sadiq Khan joins thousands at Trafalgar Square to celebrate Diwali

Thousands gathered in central London on Sunday for a vibrant Diwali celebration, showcasing a dazzling array of culture, unity, hope, and colour. Locals and tourists alike joined in the festivities for the festival of lights in Trafalgar Square.

The event came alive with hundreds of dancers in vibrant, multicoloured saris, enchanting the crowd with spirited performances. The event also offered music, comedy shows, yoga sessions, and interactive sari and turban-tying workshops.

Organised annually by the Diwali in London Committee and the Mayor of London, this year’s Trafalgar Square celebration marked its 23rd edition.

“There's a very simple reason why we’re all celebrating the festival of Diwali. This celebration is a celebration of the victory of lightness over dark. A celebration of the victory of good over evil. And a celebration of friendship over enmity," Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said.

Organisers estimated that around 10,000 people--including members of the UK’s Asian community, tourists, and local residents--attended the celebrations.

“Gosh. It’s all sorts. All sorts. I mean, we’ve got people from India, people from Africa, we’ve got tourists from all over Europe, we have Americans we have a lot of – obviously – English people here and we’re all just celebrating. It’s a lovely event," Rikki Gupta, an attendee said.

Another attendee, Prasad Kolas, noted that the event exemplified London's multicultural society. He said, “London always has been and is still one of the most multicultural societies. It’s one of the most open societies, open cities I would say, in the world. And this just shows that everyone here is gathered to celebrate Diwali with us: people from different backgrounds, different cultures and different religions, even. It just shows that we are one people: we are one London".

With Diwali just days away, celebrations are lighting up cities worldwide. On October 20, a vibrant Diwali celebration unfolded in the heart of New York City, as scores of Indian community members and US citizens gathered in Times Square to mark the festival.