1000 students celebrate Diwali at the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus

Diwali celebrations on the Parkville campus. Image credit: Joshua Barreno

The University of Melbourne celebrated Diwali on its Parkville campus last week, with more than 1000 students and staff celebrating the events and festivities.

Diwali, known as the Hindu festival of lights, is one of the most important cultural celebrations on the Indian calendar and is also celebrated in Pakistan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Bangladesh, and by Hindus across the globe.

The event at Parkville featured performances by students and the Indian dance and entertainment organisation Ignite Bollywood, along with traditional Indian food and music to engage the student community in rich cultural exchange and celebration.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Culture and Engagement) Professor Michael Wesley was delighted to see how the festival had grown again in 2024.

“Diwali is a special occasion at our University and it brings a fantastic energy of cultural exchange to our campus,” Professor Wesley said.

“It is one of the most anticipated days of the cultural calendar and the event attracts people from all backgrounds, celebrating with our international student community, learning and sharing experiences with each other.”

Pranav Soman, Master of International Business student and President of the Bollywood Club noted the importance of having somewhere at the University to celebrate Diwali.

“This is my first time celebrating Diwali away from family… the University of Melbourne and all the clubs and activities organised during festivals like these has definitely helped in making Melbourne my home away from home,” Mr Soman said.