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Every year, more than a billion people around the world come together to celebrate Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights: a vibrant, joyful occasion symbolising the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. For many who celebrate, it also marks the start of the Hindu New year. And while traditionally rooted in Hindu culture but celebrated by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, Diwali brings families, friends and communities together to share food, decorate homes with diyas (oil lamps), exchange gifts and reflect on renewal and hope.
The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit term Deepavali, meaning ‘row of lights’. Across five days of celebration, different cultures have their own customs, from cleaning and preparing homes and honouring Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, to celebrating with fireworks or festive meals. It’s a time that encourages reflection, gratitude and compassion for others – values that form the foundation of our work at P3 Charity – and Diwali’s themes of hope and resilience are something we see in the people we support every day.
At P3, we take every opportunity to share and learn from different cultures, as it helps us build an inclusive environment where everyone feels seen and valued.
This year, P3 Charity marked Diwali with a special ‘Lunch and Learn’ event at our head office, providing an opportunity for our community to come together, share stories and learn more about the meaning behind the festival.
Centred around an educational presentation, the team looked at the story of Diwali and learned about the cultural traditions behind it – food, lights and legends. They also took the opportunity to enjoy some traditional food!
Leading the event was Rushika Dave, P3 Charity’s People and Culture Business Partner and lead of our EDI steering group. For Rushika, Diwali is close to her heart, as she’s celebrated the Hindu holiday with her family all her life.
She says: “Diwali encourages me to let go of negativity, appreciate what I have and step into the new year with hope and clarity. It’s all about family and celebrating, enjoying good food, good company and just staying in touch with my roots and having a great time.”
While reflecting on Diwali, Rushika highlights the importance of EDI in the workplace: “Events like today really help us embed inclusion into our daily working lives here at P3. I think sometimes we get so engrossed with work that we forget we’re all different and can bring different things to the table. For me, today was a great opportunity to showcase my culture, belief and values, which align very closely with what P3 does: a focus on belonging and coming together.”
The goal of P3’s Lunch and Learn sessions are to celebrate what makes us different while creating a space for connection, understanding and inclusion within our teams. Rushika’s Diwali session was a great opportunity to learn about the traditions of the festival and a reminder that every culture brings light to our shared community, enriching our collective wellbeing and sense of belonging.
At P3, we believe in the power of community. We know that by supporting people to be themselves and feel valued, they can thrive. Diwali’s themes of light, renewal and hope reflect the same spirit that drives our work every day.
Through celebrating cultural and religious festivals like Diwali, we continue to learn from one another, build empathy and nurture an environment where everyone’s story is celebrated.
We’re proud to have celebrated this festival together, learning, sharing and embracing the spirit of unity that Diwali inspires. To all those who celebrate, Happy Diwali from all of us at P3 Charity!
We’d love to tell you all about how we are championing equity, diversity and inclusion in our workplace and services. Get in touch with us to find out more: info@p3charity.org
