Celebrating, commemorating & educating
2020 marked the inaugural year celebrating South Asian Heritage Month. It seeks to raise the profile of British South Asian heritage and history in the UK through education, arts, culture and commemoration, with the goal of helping people to better understand the diversity of present-day Britain and improve social cohesion across the country.
It's about reclaiming the history and identity of British South Asians. People need to be able to tell their own stories, and this is an opportunity to show what it means to be South Asian in the 21st century, as well as look to the past to see how Britain became the diverse country it is today.
South Asian influences can be found everywhere in Britain, from our food and clothes to our music and even our words. The streets of our towns and cities are rich with the colours, sights and sounds of proud South Asian identity. Its culture permeates all parts of British life and adds to the diversity of the nation.
South Asian Heritage Month runs from 18th July to 17th August every year, and the dates have special significance.
The start and end dates show just how much of an influence Britain has had on South Asia as a whole over the last few centuries. On the 18th July 1947, King George VI gave royal assent to the Indian Independence Act, partitioning of British India and independence from British rule. And on the 17th August the Radcliffe Line was published which set out the borders between India, Pakistan and modern-day Bangladesh.

Get involved
Here's how you can get involved in celebrating and supporting South Asian Heritage Month:
- Follow South Asian Heritage Month UK on Twitter
- Tell your story, or join in the conversation - use #southasianheritagemonth when posting on social media
- Join an event and learn more about South Asian cultures
- Catch up on events that have happened through the month
- Want to get more involved? South Asian Heritage Month are looking for volunteers. Get in touch!
You can find more information and resources on the South Asian Heritage website.
Events
There have been many events across the month, but we've picked out a couple we think may be of interest to our members:
- 14th August - Explore and celebrate the diverse identities of South Asians
- 17th August - Disability in the South Asia community
- 17th August - Learning about Partition: An introduction.
About the ED&I Group

The Accord Equality Diversity & Inclusion group’s aim is to ensure every individual has the right to an equal opportunity to maximise their potential, regardless of background, and to be treated with dignity and respect. It’s a place where diversity is celebrated, and all contributions are welcomed and cherished without prejudice or judgement. It’s also a chance to collectively learn from our experiences, allowing us to remove barriers and enrich each other’s lives.
The group has a calendar of activities we'll be getting involved in across the year on a broad spectrum of topics. If you’re interested, why not get involved — email us at [email protected] or register to join online.