Shehbaz Sharif used Diwali greetings to tell the Hindu community in Pakistan and around the world that it is a “valued and integral” part of the national fabric. India marked Diwali celebrations today as world leaders and diplomats issued public messages built around peace, prosperity and harmony.
Shehbaz Sharif and Tulsi Gabbard
Sharif said Diwali symbolises the triumph of light over the darkness of hatred, intolerance and despair, and he called for interfaith harmony and tolerance. He also said Pakistan takes immense pride in its religious and cultural diversity, placing the message squarely on coexistence rather than ceremony alone.
Tulsi Gabbard added a separate Diwali message that tied the festival to faith and joy. “Wishing all who are celebrating a joyful Diwali! May we be reminded on this special day, and all days, that God’s love has the power to dispel all darkness and fill our lives with light, peace and joy,” she said.
White House diya-lighting ceremony
Donald Trump marked the festival on Friday by taking part in a diya-lighting ceremony at the White House. Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Kash Patel, Vikas Khanna, Vishal Gondal, Arvind Krishna and Jay Bhattacharya were with him, turning the event into a public display of Diwali recognition inside the United States political center.
The White House ceremony followed a wider pattern that day: public figures used Diwali as a platform for messages about shared values, not just personal celebration. In this round of greetings, the festival was presented as a civic and diplomatic moment as much as a religious one.
UAE, Sri Lanka and Iran
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum extended his greeting with the line: “May this festival of lights bring you peace, hope, and goodness, and may your days be filled with safety, happiness, and prosperity. Happy Diwali!” Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described Diwali as one of the most sacred festivals of the Hindu community and said it symbolises the triumph of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.
Dissanayake also said Diwali commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura and provides an opportunity to renew the resolve to build a better, just and compassionate society. That framing put the festival into a moral and cultural register that ran through several messages today.
Mohammad Fathali’s greeting to India carried a different diplomatic weight. He said, “India and Iran share a long history of friendship and deep cultural and civilisational ties. On this joyful occasion, I extend my warmest congratulations to this friendly government and the great people of India,” while also invoking the Islamic Republic’s “resilience” in the war against the US.
South Korean Embassy in India
The South Korean Embassy in India also hosted a special diya-deco event, adding another public signal of Diwali recognition. The source does not give the full details of that event, but it shows how embassies and leaders used the festival day to send carefully framed public messages rather than private greetings alone.
For readers tracking the diplomacy around Diwali, the key pattern is straightforward: Pakistan, the UAE, Sri Lanka, Iran and the United States all saw prominent figures put the festival into public view, each message stressing peace, harmony or prosperity. The next visible step is whether those greetings are followed by more public cultural events or additional official messages beyond today’s Diwali cycle.
