Every year, people around the world celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Homes brighten up with colorful rangolis and lamps, families come together, and the air fills with joy and hope. But beyond the lights and festivities, Diwali—known as the Festival of Lights—is a story of hope, renewal, and connection. This year, that same spirit illuminated the ILSC community across borders.
In October, ILSC New Delhi and ILSC Australia teamed up for a meaningful Diwali project that connected students across two countries. The goal was simple: to help everyone learn more about what Diwali means and why it’s such an important festival in Indian culture.
At the center of this initiative was ILSC’s Learn to Earn (LTE) program—an education and skill development opportunity for young women from underserved communities in India. The LTE scholars from ILSC New Delhi produced a special video that shared what Diwali means, why it’s celebrated, and how it shapes their lives and culture.
This video was then shared with ILSC Australia students, giving them a chance to learn directly from their peers in India. It was a small but powerful example of how ILSC brings people together through learning and understanding.
The collaboration between ILSC New Delhi and ILSC Australia was built on one simple but powerful goal: to help students learn from each other’s experiences and celebrate the diversity that defines the ILSC community.
To learn more about how this project came to life, we spoke with Catherine Hamilton, National Manager, Student & Community Engagement at ILSC Australia, and Manju Thapa, Administrative Assistant at ILSC New Delhi.
Catherine: To me, Diwali represents a lot of what we wish to encapsulate for our students at ILSC. Even though I didn’t grow up personally celebrating Diwali, I see it as a time that symbolizes positivity and the power of kindness, as well as a reminder of how valuable knowledge is, and how important it is to embrace every opportunity to learn. The fact that the joyful message that Diwali spreads can transcend across our entire multicultural international student community really drew us to celebrating it in Australia.
Manju: I would say personally, it's not only about lamps and sweets, it's also about welcoming new beginnings in your life and forgetting about the past, and also it's togetherness of family, like you enjoy your time with your family on Diwali and it's all positivity there. So yeah, that's what Diwali means to me personally. And culturally, I would say, it's a symbol of victory of good over evil.
C: Every session, our Australian campuses collectively focus on a different national or international celebration, awareness day, or fundraiser. We had chosen Diwali as our focus for Session 11, knowing that the message of the festival would resonate so well with our students. However, we wanted our celebrations to be more authentic and student-led. It made perfect sense to connect directly with the Learn to Earn students on our ILSC New Delhi campus, and invite them to guide us in celebrating Diwali respectfully and meaningfully here in Australia.
M: Actually, Catherine suggested something, you know, to collaborate with them, and it was a really phenomenal collaboration because we all did a lot of preparation here in ILSC New Delhi for [Diwali]. And when she suggested, I told the girls, and they were a little nervous, you know, how it's going to be, but they were very excited about that. But it was really good to share Diwali because it's one of the vibrant festivals in India and the biggest also. So, we want to share with other campuses, with our friends, so that they can know this is how we celebrate Diwali in India.
C: We have always proudly celebrated the rich diversity of our international student community on our five Australian campuses, so I was excited to expand how we did this beyond the Australian campuses alone and showcase the strength of our global ILSC community. Involving the Learn to Earn students was especially meaningful as it was the first time we have asked them to connect with our Australian students, and we were excited to see how their ideas would shape what we did here in Australia.
M: I was excited because we got to meet. Initially, I was just working here with our colleagues in New Delhi, but when Catherine suggested this collaboration, I got to meet them virtually. It was a great time to talk to her, also get ideas from her, and it was really great to share everything with Catherine. We would love to do more collaborations, and I think we are moving ahead with more collaboration in the future.
M: They were very nervous, but when we were recording the videos, we had a lot of fun,, actually and they were excited. We took a lot of free takes also, and when the video came out after editing they were very proud of themselves.
C: It was incredibly enriching. Hearing directly from our Learn to Earn students in India made the learning experience real and personal. Instead of just reading about Diwali, our students got to see a genuine connection to another ILSC school and understand the festival through the eyes of those who celebrate it. The things the Learn to Earn students chose to share reflected what mattered most to them, which made it even more meaningful.
C: Yes, definitely. In fact, I think this is why so many of our students choose to study in another country; they’re curious about the world and want to understand life from new perspectives so that they can reflect on their own traditions and values, and think about who they want to be.
M: I think they will start respecting each other's culture and enjoy it more. And by the way, we are also celebrating Halloween but for me, this is the first time I'm going to celebrate Halloween. So I am very curious to know something new, too. So that's what I think, you respect other cultures also, and you find beauty in diversity.
C: Many students got involved in our celebrations in Australia and it reminded them that every culture has ways of expressing light, joy, and kindness: from Diwali to Christmas, Ramadan to Lunar New Year. Students talked about celebrating with loved ones, enjoying food, and expressing gratitude. We’re proud to have brought those common themes to the forefront of conversation to help build mutual respect between our students and foster their curiosity about the world.
C: When we shared the Diwali video with our Australian students, many were curious to learn more about the Learn to Earn program. This sparked meaningful conversations and gave us a great opportunity to explain how $1 from every registration with ILSC or Greystone College goes towards supporting these scholarships. It was wonderful to see how this collaboration not only raised awareness of Diwali traditions but also helped connect our different campuses and highlight what is happening in other locations.
C: Initiatives like this help strengthen the ILSC community by allowing students to learn about and appreciate different cultures and traditions. They create meaningful connections not only within each campus but also across our global network. Students can see that there are others around the world on the same journey as them, while also being reminded that everyone comes from unique backgrounds and celebrates in different ways.
M: We have decided we should have more collaborations to come. Because through [the Diwali] video, they could not virtually meet with students from both campuses, but for other collaborations, we are planning to make them meet virtually so that we can get connected and feel valued. I think this is how we can build a world where we can become one.
C: Always be open-minded and curious when learning from different cultures. Every interaction is a chance to see the world from a new perspective and appreciate the unique traditions, values, and experiences others bring. Embracing these differences not only helps us grow personally but also strengthens the sense of community we share at ILSC.
The Diwali project between ILSC New Delhi and ILSC Australia reminded everyone of a simple truth: when we share knowledge and kindness, we all grow.
Through their video, the Learn to Earn students shared not just facts about a festival, but a piece of who they are. And through this, they inspired students across the world to celebrate what makes each culture unique.
At ILSC, learning is also about connecting people and making the world a little brighter. If you want to study, teach, or collaborate in a community that celebrates diversity and shared learning, explore what ILSC has to offer.