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Lessons from Diwali
11 November 2022
Those from the Hindu, Jain, and Sikh faiths recently commemorated Diwali – a festival celebrating togetherness, light, and joy. The following week, Sixth Former Gursharan delivered an assembly to the school community on the festival.
"To begin, I briefly drifted back to last year’s assembly, when I mentioned the stories of Rama and Sita, Guru Hargobind Ji, and Mahavir. I then brought the hall back to the present and shared the values and inspiration that I find the festival gives us.
"Through this assembly, I hoped to spread awareness of Diwali, but also hoped to create an environment where everyone felt included and felt that they could take something from the assembly, even if they do not celebrate it. The main concept that I weaved throughout was the victory of good over evil. I thought that it would be interesting to share with the hall a small group of inspirational people who motivate me.
"I first chose to speak about Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Guru in Sikhism, who fought for the preservation of human rights and social justice. Next, I spoke about a junior barrister, Alexandra Wilson, who, in her book 'In Black and White', has upheld the idea that everyone deserves the right to representation, and her good deeds lie in upholding this no matter the situation. Lastly, I turned to James Baldwin, a writer and activist, whose good deeds rested in fighting for justice, exploring racial and social issues, and breaking down stereotypes.
"To end, I wanted to sum up the talk in a few key points, and these were:
• Always lift people up with you.
• A new day equals a new beginning = no matter what happened yesterday, you can always start again.
• Be present and always seek the light.
"As Diwali is one of my favourite festivals, it was a lovely opportunity for me to be able to share it with the school community and I hope that those watching were able to take something positive from it!"
Gursharan B
Diwali: Festival of Light
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