This Diwali, more than 200 people gathered across Sydney and Melbourne to ask a simple question: what does light mean in your tradition? At Sharing the Light, hosted by Hindus for Human Rights Australia & New Zealand, the answers came from many directions. Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, Bahá’í, Palestinian, Tibetan, Chinese, Greek, Ambedkarite and First Nations voices shared traditions of light as wisdom, hope, liberation, memory and connection. The result was a look at what genuine multicultural belonging can look like.
“Through events such as Sharing the Light, we aim to bring communities together in joyous intercultural celebrations that showcase our unity in our glorious diversity,” said Dr Shanti Raman, Chair of HfHR ANZ.
Sharing the light in Sydney
The Sydney gathering took place at NSW Parliament House, co-hosted with the Indian Crescent Society of Australia and supported by Multicultural NSW. The event brought together political leaders, faith representatives and community members for a ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Binowee Bayles, a Koori woman with deep roots in Gadigal Country, opened with a Welcome to Country and reflected on the place of light in First Nations traditions. Speakers then moved across Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Sikh and Bahá’í perspectives. One reflection recalled the Buddhist teaching to be a lamp unto ourselves. Another invited guests to think about Diwali beyond fireworks, returning instead to light, community and care for the environment. The evening also included Kuchipudi dance, music and Bollywood performance.
Abbas Raza Alvi of ICSOA summed up the spirit of the event:
“Tolerance asks us to make room for one another. Acceptance asks us to see one another. Celebration invites us to grow because of one another.”
Melbourne: many traditions, one shared theme
A few days later, more than 100 people gathered in Melbourne for the second Sharing the Light celebration. There, the symbolism of light took on many forms: Palestinian olive oil lamps, the Jewish menorah, Tibetan butter lamps, the Chinese Lantern Festival, Jain ritual, Sikh traditions of liberation and Hindu understandings of inner wisdom. Gurvinder Singh Atwal spoke about Bandi Chhor Divas, commemorating Guru Hargobind Ji’s refusal to leave prison without those detained alongside him. Maneeza Rahmany reflected on light in Islam:
“Light is God’s gift. It shows a path to our souls and ignites hope in the heart of the hopeless.”
The evening closed with Kathak, music inspired by Kabir and a communal Garba.
What stood out across both cities was that people were not simply observing one another’s traditions. They were bringing something of their own into a shared space.
“We are alike and we are different, and that is our strength,” said Nandini Sen Mehra, Regional Communications and Policy Director for HfHR ANZ. “Even in such divisive times, it is possible to bring diverse voices together in a shared space of warmth that reflects the reality and promise of multicultural Australia.”
For HfHR ANZ, Sharing the Light was one small example of what it means to move beyond coexistence toward real relationship: meeting difference with curiosity, solidarity and joy. And perhaps that is one of Diwali’s enduring lessons. A light does not become smaller when it is shared.
