NYC will add Diwali as a public school holiday, but there’s a catch this year

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City will add the festival of Diwali to the list of public school holidays in recognition of the growth of the city’s South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities. Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday that Diwali will join celebrations including Rosh Hashana and Lunar New Year as a day off for students. Diwali happens October or November depending on the lunar calendar. However, it falls on Sunday Nov. 12 this year, so the 2023-2024 school calendar will not be affected by the change. City officials say more that 200,000 New York City residents celebrate Diwali. It is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists.