Alberta house speaker hosts Diwali celebration at Legislature Building

A Diwali celebration was held at the Alberta Legislature on Oct. 30, 2024. (Courtesy: Government of Alberta)

A Diwali celebration was held in the Legislature Building rotunda on Wednesday morning with the Alberta's House Speaker hosting the event.

Nathan Cooper, the speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, hosted the event and was joined by Salma Lakhani, the lieutenant governor of Alberta, Rajan Sawhney, the minister of advanced education of Alberta, and NDP MLA Rakhi Pancholi on Oct. 30.

Diwali, a national holiday in India, is celebrated through exchanging gifts and visiting friends and family. People celebrating Diwali light oil lamps, candles and fireworks as a symbol of the inner light which protects those from spiritual darkness.

A special prayer honouring the Hindu goddess Lakshmi is performed in the evening and it is believed that she will bring luck and prosperity for the coming year.