New Delhi: On the occasion of Diwali, the White House held the biggest Diwali reception till date on Monday which saw the presence of several Indian Americans from the Biden administration, reported news agency ANI.
“We are honoured to host you. This is the first Diwali reception of this scale in the White House ever to be held. We have more Asian Americans than ever before in history and we want to thank you for making the Diwali celebration a joyous part of American culture,” US President Joe Biden said during the event.
In his speech, Biden thanked for optimism, courage, and empath demonstrated by the South Asian community all across America.
“Together, South Asian Americans reflect the soul of who we are as a nation, whether helping us emerge stronger from this pandemic, building an economy that works for everyone, or serving and protecting our communities and our country,” he said.
#WATCH | US President Joe Biden, First lady Jill Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris celebrate the festival of #Diwali at the White House pic.twitter.com/WPOOYSW2zo
— ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2022
As the world celebrates this gathering of light, he said, “as this community has experienced too often — that there is always darkness lurking. American history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh reality that we have never fully lived up to it. By marking the victory of light over darkness, Diwali is a reminder that each of us has the power to bring light to the world, whether here in America or around the world.”
US Vice President Kamala Harris, who was also present during the event, delivered remarks from the White House on the occasion of Diwali.
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“White House is the people’s house and together our president and first lady have made this place where every American can celebrate their honour and tradition,” she said.
First Lady, Jill Biden also praised the Asian American community in the US for “helping us light our way forward”.
