PNN
Nicosia [Cyprus], November 13: Diwali was celebrated at the Presidential Palace of Cyprus for the first time on November 9, at an evening organised by the Help2Live Charity Foundation, founded by Mr. Dipak Kumar, in collaboration with the High Commission of India in Cyprus.
The event, Cyprus Glows: Diwali 2026, was hosted by H.E. President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and First Lady Philippa Karsera. About 150 guests attended, including Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria, the Attorney General, ministers, members of parliament, diplomats, business representatives and members of the Indian community.
The celebration was initiated by Mr. Dipak Kumar, who has lived in Cyprus for more than 20 years and founded Help2Live 15 years ago with his own funds.
#DiwaliHug
During the evening, Mr. Dipak Kumar embraced H.E. President Christodoulides, a gesture that marked the start of the #DiwaliHug.
According to Help2Live, the gesture reflects the core message of Diwali, the victory of light over darkness, and the belief that what unites people is greater than what divides them. A hug, like the light of a diya, does not ask about anyone’s nationality, faith or language.
Mr. Dipak Kumar has invited people across Cyprus and beyond to embrace a loved one, a friend or a stranger, and share the moment on social media with #DiwaliHug, tagging @indiansincyprus.
Welcome address
In his welcome address, Mr. Dipak Kumar thanked the President for opening the Presidential Palace to Diwali for the first time, describing it as a gift to every Indian living in Cyprus.
He said his name means “diya”, or lamp, in Sanskrit, and that he founded Help2Live with the wish to “light a lamp wherever the darkness is deepest”.
He outlined the foundation’s work in Cyprus, which includes:
- support and education for orphaned children
- a rooftop garden for cancer patients at the German Medical Institute
- regular visits to elderly people in care homes
- deliveries of groceries and medicines during the pandemic
- long-term support for families of Cyprus Police officers who lost their lives
- sponsorship of football, volleyball and marathon events for young people
“We cannot always add days to our life, but we believe we can add light to those days,” he said.
He said Help2Live works with other charities and foundations because its mission “was never about one name”. He also referred to an exhibition the foundation funded in Warsaw on Cyprus’s Holy Twelve Days of Christmas, held with the Church of Cyprus and the Cyprus Police, as an example of unity in diversity.
On India–Cyprus relations, Mr. Dipak Kumar described Cyprus as an all-weather friend of India and compared the bond to the friendship of Krishna and Sudama. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support Cyprus on electricity, direct flights and security.
“India is the land that gave me birth, and Cyprus is the land that gave me purpose,” he said, adding that Indians would stand with Cyprus “today, tomorrow and always”.
Donations
Following the address, the evening’s host announced that Help2Live would donate €20,000 to two Cypriot charities: €10,000 to the Alkionides Foundation and €10,000 to Radiomarathon.
President and High Commissioner
H.E. President Christodoulides thanked Mr. Dipak Kumar for his support to the Cyprus Glows – Diwali event at the Presidential Palace of Cyprus. He said the event reflected the close relationship between the two countries and the contribution of the Indian community to Cyprus’s social and economic life.
He noted that Cyprus and India established diplomatic relations in 1962, that Prime Minister Modi visited Cyprus in June 2025, and that his own state visit to India took place in May 2026. He said the India–EU trade agreement, expected to be signed next month in Brussels, offered a historic opportunity for both sides.
“The light we create together can reach much further than what each of us could create alone,” the President said.
High Commissioner of India to Cyprus H.E. Manish thanked the President and the First Lady for what he called a generous expression of friendship. He also thanked Mr. Dipak Kumar for his support to the Cyprus Glows – Diwali event at the Presidential Palace of Cyprus.
He said Diwali teaches that “goodness deserves our courage, knowledge deserves our pursuit, and hope deserves our care”. He reaffirmed India’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus and highlighted cooperation in shipping, payments, trade, education and defence. India and Cyprus will mark 65 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.
Programme
The programme included a ceremonial lamp-lighting on stage by the President, the First Lady and the High Commissioner, Indian dance performances and Indian cuisine. The evening concluded with a concert by Greek artists Giorgos Theofanous and Giorgos Papadopoulos.
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