Diwali begins this week, and to help users take part in what will be a mostly remote celebration in 2020, Instagram has added some new features designed around the key themes of the event.

First off, Instagram’s adding a new AR effect to help ‘Share Your Light’.

As you can see here, the AR overlay places a “Festive Diya”, inspired by mandalas and festive colors, over your video clip. Users can apply the effect on Reels, in Stories and in regular feed posts, while you can also add the #ShareYourLight hashtag to join in the broader discussion.

In addition to this, Instagram has also added some custom-designed templates for Stories, which tie into the key themes of the celebration.

Instagram will also be looking to amplify South Asian creators on its official profiles, highlighting the color of the season, and adding further to the focus to the event.

More than 800 million people celebrate Diwali across the world, and as noted, with COVID-19 lockdowns limiting our capacity to get together, additions like this can play an important role in keeping us connected for what’s normally such a social, interactive event.

Digital tools can replace real-world connection, but they do add another way to participate, while Instagram is also highlighting the key elements of the festival to a wider audience, helping to open up more discussion and awareness around global happenings.