Diwali Festival of Lights Sunbury 2019
What a wonderful turn-out to our Diwali event at Sunbury. This was an outstanding effort by the community of Sunbury and surrounding area to support Multicultural Resources Hub, and a great way to connect communities together.
A big thank you to our honourable guests, Josh Bull (Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Local MP for Sunbury), Ingrid Stitt (Member of Western Metropolitan Region), Mr. Vinayak Kolape (Advisor to Premier of Victoria), Jack Medcraft (Hume Council), and Kim Thien Troung (Brimbank City Council).
Thank you to our hardworking committee, all the wonderful volunteers, and supporting organizations and sponsors: Sunbury Neighborhood House, Goonawarra Neighborhood House, and Goonawarra Golf Club. Thank you as well, to stall holders, DJ’s, photography,media, performers, singers, and of course, our multi-talented MC, Mr. Jen Singh.
Sunbury will light up this weekend for the town’s very first Diwali festival.
Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is a five-day celebration commemorated by Hindus all over the world.
The Multicultural Resources Hub, a not-for-profit organisation that connects new migrants in Australia to existing communities, will be hosting the Sunbury festival.
Hub advisor Shammi Parekh said she was looking forward to celebrating her culture in her hometown.
“I’ve lived in Sunbury for 30 years now and I feel that there hasn’t been an event like a Diwali Festival,” she said.
“A lot of people do know about it, it’s been celebrated in schools, in kindergartens.
People decorate their houses with lights, they make nice sweets [and] they have family and friends over.”
The festival will be traditional Indian cuisine, a sari wrapping workshop, dances and performances and the opportunity for visitors to be inked with a beautiful henna tattoo.
Ms Parekh said up to 600 people are expected to attend the festival. She has encouraged people of all nationalities to embrace the celebrations.
“We wanted it to be a multicultural event celebrating Diwali,” she said.
“It’s not only based on the Indian community. We have got the Filipino community involved, we’ve got the Sri Lankan community involved and we have Fijian communities involved.”
