‘Kemon acho, New York City high school students!’: Zohran Mamdani switches to Bengali to announce free Broadway tickets

Mamdani's Bengali address

In a full Bengali address, Mamdani invited New York City high-school students to enter the lottery for the free Broadway tickets.

He said the lottery would remain open until August 17 and that participants would also receive two months of free membership to the Theater Development Fund.

He ended the message by telling the students that he would see them at the show.

In his address, Mamdani said: "How are you, New York City high school students! We, on behalf of New York City, are giving away more than 2,000 free tickets to see Broadway shows.

"Listen! The lottery is now open. If you go to this website by August 17, you can enter the lottery. Good, right!"

He added: "When you enter the lottery, along with that, you'll get two months of free membership from the Theater Development Fund. Alright then, see you at the show!"

Why it matters

Mamdani's Bengali address adds a cultural and political dimension to what is otherwise a youth-focused Broadway initiative.

By speaking directly in Bengali, he brings visibility to New York's Bengali-speaking population while presenting the free-ticket programme as an inclusive opportunity for young New Yorkers.

Mamdani has made multiculturalism and inclusion central to his political identity. Speaking Bengali reinforces his image as a mayor seeking to represent the city's diverse immigrant communities.

Focus on New York's young audience

Mamdani used Bengali to address New York City high-school students while promoting access to Broadway through more than 2,000 free tickets.

The initiative combines cultural access for young people with a direct outreach effort to one of the city's diverse linguistic communities.