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London:
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the Diwali spirit of the victory of sunshine over darkness and good over evil as he delivered a message of optimism about overcoming the coronavirus pandemic for a first-of-its-kind digital Diwali pageant this weekend.
Prime Minister Johnson appealed for an enormous collective effort as England entered its second stay-at-home lockdown earlier this week, to final a minimum of till December 2, to be able to curb a surge in coronavirus infections throughout the nation.
“While undoubtedly there are huge challenges ahead, I have every confidence in the resilience and resolve and good sense of people across the country and that together we will overcome this virus, just as Diwali teaches us that light triumphs over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance,” Boris Johnson mentioned from 10 Downing Street in London on Friday.
“Just as Lord Rama and his wife Sita found their way home after the defeat of the demon king Ravana, their way lit by many millions of lamps, so too we shall find our way through this, and we shall do so triumphantly,” he mentioned.
Acknowledging that individuals would discover it significantly troublesome this 12 months with all of the lockdown restrictions, Johnson praised the Indian neighborhood within the UK for all their sacrifices and efforts at working in the direction of a secure and safe Diwali.
He praised the “fantastic virtual Diwali festival” for bringing the spirit of Diwali into individuals’s houses whereas serving to individuals keep secure.
“I know that celebrating at a distance isn’t easy when you want to get together with all your family or visit your friends or share with them the Diwali fun, as well of course the odd samosa or gulab jamun,” he mentioned in his inaugural handle to the ‘iGlobal Diwali Fest 2020’.
“So I want you to know that your sacrifices, and your determination to do the right thing really are helping to save lives, and tough though I know many aspects of this year have been, I have been blown away by the inspirational way in which Hindus, Sikhs and Jains have responded to this crisis with compassion, community spirit and a can-do attitude,” he mentioned.
The three-day digital Diwali Fest kick-started on Friday with the UK PM’s message and can embrace periods with UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, Opposition Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer and Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey.
The agenda additionally contains yoga, music and dance performances in addition to an awards ceremony to honour British Indian neighborhood champions throughout completely different fields. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and West Midlands Mayor Andy Street might be amongst these delivering Diwali messages from completely different components of England.
“The Prime Minister, leaders of the principle UK political events and the Mayors of the nation’s main metros lining up for Diwali on this means is kind of unprecedented and displays not solely the actual depth of UK-India ties but in addition the pivotal position of the UK’s 1.5-million sturdy Indian neighborhood, mentioned Manoj Ladwa, CEO of the India Inc Group, the UK-based organiser of the occasion.
Among among the different digital occasions scheduled over the weekend embrace a religious session with Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, bhajans from completely different components of India and a Bollywood live performance headlined by British Indian musician Navin Kundra.
Diwali – the pageant of lights – might be celebrated in India and internationally on November 14.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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