Greetings also poured in from the UN, US President Trump, and President-elect Joe Biden

As India celebrated the festival of lights, leaders around the world extended their Deepawali greetings to the people of India. Amid this, what caught the eye was the Empire State building in New York and Burj Khalifa in Dubai were lit up to mark the festival of lights.

Dubai’s Burj Khalifa posted a video on twitter in which the skyscraper was seen donned in lights. Many people of Indian origin gathered near the building to capture the spectacle as it flashed, ‘Happy Diwali.’

It wrote, “#Burjkhalifa lights up to add sparkle to the Indian festival of lights. Wishing the people of India, a very happy #Diwali.”



A similar view was seen in New York when the Empire State Building joined the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut (FIANYNJCT) org in its celebration of Diwali. As a result, the building turned orange.

On twitter, it wrote, “Happy #Diwali from NYC! We’re joining @FIANYNJCTorg in celebrating the festival of lights by turning our own lights all orange tonight! #ESBright.”



Deepawali greetings were also extended by the leaders across the world. The newly elected President of the United States, Joe Biden greeted the people of Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities on the occasion of Deepawali.

He wrote on his official twitter handle, “To the millions of Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists celebrating the Festival of Lights, @DrBiden and I send our best wishes for a #HappyDiwali. May your new year be filled with hope, happiness, and prosperity. Sal Mubarak.”



Canadian PM Justin Trudeau posted a video message on twitter to wish people across the world a very happy Diwali.

“For all of us, Diwali is an opportunity to recognise that contributions that our communities make to our country every single day,” he said in the video message.

He posted the video on twitter and wrote, “Happy Diwali! I know celebrations will look different this year, but the message at the heart of the day - that light, hope, and knowledge will always triumph over darkness, evil, and ignorance - remains the same, and it has never been more important.”



British PM Boris Johnson also posted a video of him lighting a lamp and said, “The joyful festival of Diwali is here to burst through the autumnal darkness.”

“I know that this year celebrations will be different, but I am filled with respect for the way British Hindus, Sikhs and Jains have gone out of their way to help others throughout this pandemic,” he wrote on twitter posting the video.



Prince Charles also released a video message on the occasion. “This brings you all my warmest greetings on the occasion of Diwali and, for those of you marking a New Year, let me wish you a happy, peaceful and prosperous year ahead,” he said.



Similarly, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan also extended his greetings to India.



The greetings of the festival of lights were also extended by the United Nations, which on twitter wrote, “Happy #Diwali to all those celebrating.”



Earlier, Prime Minister Modi had wished the whole nation on the occasion of Diwali. During his ‘Mann ki Baat,’ he had urged his fellow citizens to light a Diya as a ‘Salute to Soldiers’ who fearlessly protect the nation.