[Photograph of a group of individuals at a Diwali celebration in Surrey]

Photograph of a group of unidentified individuals at a Diwali celebration held at the Surrey City Hall in British Columbia (B.C.). Among the group of individuals is Penny Priddy.

Penny Priddy is a Canadian politician who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Surrey-Newton from 1991 to 2001. She held several ministerial roles, including Minister of Women's Equality, Minister of Health, and Minister of Education. A trained nurse, she worked extensively in community services, supporting children, families, and people with disabilities. Priddy was also active in the Surrey School Board and various community organizations.

Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is a major religious festival celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs, and translates to "the Festival of Lights." The festival lasts five days: the first day is known as Dhanteras; followed by Choti Diwali; Lakshmi Puja, which is the main celebration; Govardhan Puja; and finally Bhai Dooj. The festival is typically marked by the cleaning and decorating of homes, as well as the lighting of diyas and rangoli designs. Each region in India and religion has their own manner of celebrating Deepavali and their own gods to be worshipped.