Happy Thai Pongal to Tamils celebrating! Joyeux Thaï Pongal aux tamouls qui célèbrent! Iniya Pongal Nalvazhthukkal: pic.twitter.com/AT8YE4t3AB

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 14, 2017

Source: Huffington Post

By Carol Kuruvilla; Associate Religion Editor

On the same day President-elect Donald Trump criticized civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis and the diverse district he represents, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was celebrating his country’s diversity across the border in Canada.

Trudeau sent holiday greetings on Saturday to people of Tamil heritage around the world observing Thai Pongal, a Hindu harvest festival that originated in southern India.

“We should seize every opportunity to celebrate the many cultures, languages and beliefs that make our country such a wonderful place to live,” Trudeau said in a video posted to Twitter on Jan. 14.

Trudeau began his message with a traditional Tamil way of saying hello: “Vanakkam.” He ended in Tamil as well, saying, “Iniya Pongal Nalvazhthukkal,” or “sweet Pongal greetings.”

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