Dubai: The UAE is set to celebrate Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, with a grand event in Dubai on November 16. The celebration will be attended by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and Sunjay Sudhir, India’s Ambassador to the UAE, alongside various diplomats and dignitaries from the Indian community in the UAE.

According to Emirates News Agency, the event is organized by “Emirates Love India” with support from the UAE Government Media Office and participation from Dubai Police. The celebration is designed to showcase the harmony and diversity of Indian folklore, culture, and art while reflecting the close historical ties between the UAE and India. The event will highlight India’s rich heritage and the Indian community’s contributions to the UAE’s sustainable development.

The Diwali celebration, set to take place in Zabeel Park, is expected to draw a crowd of 40,000 people. The event will feature a vibrant array of cultural, artistic, musical, and folkloric ac
tivities, including a special segment honoring the outstanding achievements of Indians in the UAE.

This celebration underscores the UAE’s success in fostering a peaceful and harmonious multicultural society and its commitment to global partnerships and cross-cultural understanding. By participating in the celebrations of its diverse international communities, the UAE reinforces its global standing as a champion of tolerance and coexistence.

The ties between the UAE and India are rooted in a long history of collaboration, highlighted by a bilateral cultural agreement signed during the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s visit to India in January 1975. The relationship reached a new level with UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to India in January 2017, resulting in a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement and several other agreements and MoUs.

Furthermore, a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is anticipated to boost investments and trade flow, aiming
to increase bilateral non-oil trade exchange to US $100 billion by 2030. The UAE and India have maintained strong ties through regular meetings of the CEPA Joint Committee and strategic dialogues.

The large Indian community in the UAE continues to thrive as a harmonious part of its diverse society, significantly contributing to the deepening of economic, social, and cultural ties between both nations.