Indians in Australia ask for Diwali as national public holiday

• Making Diwali a public holiday would encourage Australians to embrace the country’s diverse faiths and traditions and foster understanding and unity among its residents

• Recognizing Diwali as an official holiday would serve as a celebration of Australia’s vibrant multicultural identity, offering an inspiring model of inclusivity to the world

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Australia’s Indian community is calling for Diwali to be recognized as an official public holiday across all states and territories. This renewed push for inclusion highlights the importance of the festival of lights, celebrated on October 31 this year, and its significance as a unifying event in the Hindu calendar, reported news.com.au.

For years, multicultural advocates have called on Australia to officially recognize holidays like Diwali, Lunar New Year, and Eid alongside Christian holidays, reflecting the country’s growing cultural diversity. President of the Hindu Council of Australia, Sai Paravastu, underscored the importance of this recognition, pointing out that the hundreds of thousands of people who celebrate Diwali in Australia hail from over 32 countries, united by their shared heritage. “This would give others a chance to understand our culture, as they could visit temples and see how we celebrate,” he said, noting that a public holiday would promote cultural exchange and understanding.

• The Lowy Institute has supported expanding the list of public holidays, arguing that Australia’s annual calendar, which still predominantly reflects Western Christian traditions, should adapt to the country’s diverse makeup

• The think tank’s report states that incorporating more multicultural holidays would underscore Australia’s identity not as a “western outpost on the edge of the Indo-Pacific” but as an inclusive nation that values cultural pluralism

• Such steps would signal Australia’s commitment to unity and tolerance in an era of growing concerns about global intolerance

Federal Labor MP Andrew Charlton has also voiced support for this initiative, emphasizing Diwali’s broader appeal across the nation. “From Darwin to Hobart, Australians celebrate Diwali as one of the most joyous events of the year,” said Charlton in a recent parliamentary session. He praised the values Diwali represents, crediting the Indian community with enriching Australia’s social fabric. Recognizing Diwali, Charlton argued, would reflect the essential contributions of Indian Australians to the country’s cultural and social landscape.

As of July 2022, Indian-born residents represent the second-largest migrant community in Australia, with 753,520 people, making up nearly 10% of the nation’s overseas-born population and 2.9% of the total population. The Indian diaspora’s increasing presence is part of a broader trend in Australian demographics. According to the 2021 Census, Hinduism, practiced by 2.7% of Australians, is one of the country’s fastest-growing religions. Meanwhile, Christianity, though still the most common religion at 43.9%, has seen a significant decline.

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