Diwali – the Festival of Lights

PRESS RELEASE

Friday, October 24, 2008

Diwali – the Festival of Lights

Diwali is by far the most enthusiastically enjoyed festival for all Indians. People of different nationalities, races, religions and backgrounds come together to share their joys generating a feeling of universal brotherhood and inter-religious harmony.

Worldwide Diwali is gaining recognition as an important occasion for strengthening the bridges of understanding and spreading love and tolerance among all.

Diwali and other festivals like Chinese New Year and Eid in New Zealand have now become an integral part of calendar events that is celebrated by the whole nation, bringing together thousands of people of all cultures in peace and harmony.

It is sad to note that this occasion has not received any TV Media coverage from our national networks that it deserves. On the contrary, they send TV journalists to Alaska to cover topics such as Sarah Palin a VP candidate in US elections. It is a concern when we do not have our backyard understood, while spending large public funds to look into others businesses.

Some of our politicians tell us that they do not need Multicultural legislation to support a multicultural New Zealand, this does not hold water as we are continually ignored for a fair share of public air time. This is only an example and a worrying one at that.

The Federation of Ethnic Council questions the wisdom of the TVNZ Board for not being inclusive and quite deliberately ignoring multi ethnic ,multi cultural dimension of this festival. It is unacceptable going forward that TVNZ does not give appropriate priority to multicultural events, news and affairs of the country.

The Federation is the only pan ethnic and non aligned national organization that has collective reach of over 700,000 people of New Zealand through its Councils around the country.

The Federation wishes every New Zealander a Happy and Peaceful Diwali and a prosperous new year.

ENDS

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