Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities in my electorate of McEwen came together to celebrate Deepavali at the Buttercross Park at Mernda late last month; and it was vibrant and inclusive. Tom Joseph, the president of the Mernda and Doreen Multicultural Association was a key organiser of the Deepavali festival and I would like to thank him along with some of the volunteers who helped me on the day—people like: Guri Singh, Narrinder Garg and Manoj Kumar.

Deepavali is the Indian Festival of Lights, meant to signify victory of light over darkness, of knowledge over ignorance, hope over despair. Deepavali is also recognised as a festival of peace. On the international border between India and Pakistan, troops on either side of the border exchange traditional sweets in recognition of the occasion. This exchange is synonymous with Tom Joseph's and MADMA's goal for the Deepavali festival—that is, to provide an opportunity for cultural exchange and understanding between Indian and other Australian communities.

Traditionally a five-day event, the Deepavali festival was held on Saturday in late October, and drew a large crowd from the Mernda, Doreen and surrounding communities. Approximately 8,000 people attended the Deepavali festival and experienced live entertainment, including a variety of dance styles, both traditional and modern, a band, community markets, food stalls and carnival rides. There was a fireworks display to mark the end of the celebration. Tom and MADMA were fantastic hosts. Their goal was to ensure that every person attending the Deepavali festival experienced the colours, flavours and fragrances of India, and they definitely achieved this.

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