UAE President Sheikh Mohamed sends Diwali wishes to celebrants worldwide

Greetings for the festival of lights

Sheikh Mohamed shared his wishes on X: "Best wishes to all those celebrating Diwali in the UAE and around the world. May this celebration and the year ahead bring good health and prosperity to you and your families."

Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is being observed worldwide today. In the UAE, it is not a public holiday, and most celebrations take place in the evenings, according to Gulf News. This year's main day falls on a weekend.

Events across Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Dubai's citywide Festival of Lights season runs from November 2 through November 12, 2026, according to namaste.community. At its center is Noor: Festival of Lights, taking place November 7-8 at Souk Al Seef on Dubai Creek. Teamwork Arts is producing the event with the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment.

Global Village's Diwali program spans November 6-10. The National reports that a themed show scheduled for November 8 at 8 p.m. will feature 600 drones above the Stunt Arena and Syria Pavilion, forming displays inspired by the Festival of Lights.

In Abu Dhabi, the BAPS Hindu Mandir's Diwali and Maha Annakut ceremonies run from November 6 to 10. The temple, which opened in February 2024, is the Middle East's first traditional stone Hindu temple. According to namaste.community, its Diwali and Maha Annakut observances attracted more than 60,000 people over a week in 2025.

The five-day observance

Sunday's main celebration is part of a five-day festival. The Drik Panchang calendar cited by Gulf News places Dhanteras on Friday, November 6, followed by Choti Diwali on November 7 and Diwali and Lakshmi Puja on November 8.

The observance continues with Govardhan Puja on November 9 and concludes with Bhai Dooj on November 10.