Diwali is traditionally five-day holiday that champions knowledge over ignorance, light over darkness and good over evil. People all over the world participate in the annual celebration of Indian culture, including in San Antonio where more than 30,000 took part in Diwali festivities last year.
November 2 marks the 11th anniversary of Diwali San Antonio: Festival of Lights, which began in 2009 to commemorate the launch of an official Sister-City relationship with Chennai, India.
What is the religious and cultural history of Diwali? What does the festival and its traditions mean to San Antonio’s Indian population?
What all is involved in San Antonio’s Sister-City Alliance with Chennai and how is that relationship reflected in local Diwali festivities? Why is it important to foster relationships with cities abroad?
Diwali San Antonio returns to Hemisfair Park on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, from 5 p.m.-12 a.m. Free admission. Click here for more information.
Guests:
- Sherry Dowlatshahi, chief diplomacy and protocol officer and head of the City of San Antonio's International Relations Office
- Vijaya Botla, Diwali SA committee member and a founder of Anuja SA
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*This interview was recorded on Thursday, October 31.
