NEW YORK (Diya TV) — New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will begin his term with two historic inauguration events on New Year’s Day, highlighting the city’s progressive movement. The ceremonies will feature high-profile figures, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders. Mamdani officially takes office at midnight on Jan. 1.
The dual events are designed to showcase both symbolism and action in Mamdani’s incoming administration. Ahead of the inauguration, his team announced a 48-member inaugural committee. The group includes actor and author Kal Penn and author and facilitator Priya Parker. According to Mamdani’s transition team, the committee represents New Yorkers from diverse backgrounds and professional fields, reflecting the leadership, creativity, and experience that the new mayor hopes to bring to city government.
Mamdani will first take the oath of office in a private ceremony at the long-abandoned Old City Hall subway station in Lower Manhattan. The event begins at midnight, while New Year’s revelers celebrate in Times Square. The mayor-elect will be joined by his family, including his mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair. New York Attorney General Letitia James will administer the oath.
Mamdani described the historic subway station as a symbol of his vision for New York City. “When Old City Hall Station first opened in 1904 — one of New York’s 28 original subway stations — it was a physical monument to a city that dared to be both beautiful and build great things that would transform working people’s lives,” he said. “That ambition need not be a memory confined only to our past, nor must it be isolated only to the tunnels beneath City Hall: It will be the purpose of the administration fortunate enough to serve New Yorkers from the building above.”
He added that the ceremony carries both personal and civic meaning. “When I take my oath from the station at the dawn of the New Year, I will do so humbled by the opportunity to lead millions of New Yorkers into a new era of opportunity, and honored to carry forward our city’s legacy of greatness,” Mamdani said. The Old City Hall station is celebrated for its architecture and historic significance. It opened in 1904 as the first stop on the city’s original subway line. It closed to the public in 1945 due to low ridership and changes in train design.
Later in the day, Mamdani will participate in a public ceremonial swearing-in at City Hall at 1 pm Eastern, 10 am Pacific that will be broadcast live on Diya TV. The ceremony will include incoming Comptroller Mark Levine and re-elected Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. Sen. Bernie Sanders will administer the oath. The public event will double as a car-free block party near City Hall, giving residents a chance to celebrate with the new mayor.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who endorsed Mamdani early in the primary and campaigned alongside him, will introduce him at the public ceremony. Mamdani praised her as a key partner in his “people-powered movement.” “For the many New Yorkers who have long felt betrayed by a broken status quo, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez embodies a new kind of politics that puts working people at the heart of it,” he said.
The public event will be open to 4,000 ticketed guests. An additional watch party will be held near Broadway to give more New Yorkers access to the celebration.
