Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen
Good morning, Goeiemôre, molweni
It is indeed an honour for me to address you, as a community, at this very unique and special occasion, where we once again celebrate Diwali. The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport is determined through its support of these types of traditional and spiritual events, to highlight and raise awareness of our unique differences and customs, while at the same time bringing our communities together.
At a festival such as this, where Diwali or the festival of lights is considered the pathway of a person's expression of happiness, and also considered a manner of paying obedience to God, we need to be unified in our difference and celebrate it.
We need to understand, that despite many years of democracy, cultural unification and reconciliation is still to take place. Our cultures and heritage was marginalised by apartheid and is still to be completely rectified.
An example of this rectification is the way in which Hindu’s, despite their differences in language, background and creed recognised and celebrate the internationally acknowledged Diwali festival.
As the Western Cape Government we want to help promote and sustain the rich cultural heritage which a festival of this nature brings. We want to aid with the positioning of the festival as an annual cultural event in the city of Cape Town.
As government we want to celebrate the idea behind the lighting of diyas and candles during the festival of lights, which comes from a number of stories, as mentioned in Hindu mythology. The most famous of these stories is the story revolving around Lord Ram and his family and his homecoming after spending Fourteen years in exile and defeating the evil Ravana.
This event should be seen as a celebration of your traditions and heritage and a revival of who and what you are as a community, while the same time sharing who and what you are with other communities.
We need to stand together in our diversity, embrace the rituals and customs of others in order to create an accepting and welcoming community for all who live in South Africa.
I thank you.
