Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month 2023

BVSC wants to support the Birmingham Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector to celebrate and raise awareness of South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) which runs from 18 July to 17 August.

The 2023 theme is ‘Stories to Tell’ and we are looking for five VCFSE sector organisations to tell their stories.
We're holding an online event to share these stories on Tuesday 25 July, 1pm – 2.30pm
Following the event and throughout SAHM we will be sharing these stories with the wider VCFSE sector

What is South Asian Heritage Month?

South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) takes place 18 July to 17 August each year
SAHM seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories and communities
It seeks to understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia
Countries in South Asia are: Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; India; Maldives; Nepal; Pakistan; Sri Lanka. A map is available here
More information is available about SAHM here: https://southasianheritage.org.uk/

2023 Theme

The 2023 theme is ‘Stories to Tell’
This is all about celebrating the stories and heritage that make up our diverse and vibrant community
What moments in your life have shaped who you are today? What experiences have taught you valuable lessons?
Our stories are what make us unique, and they connect us to each other in profound ways
During South Asian Heritage Month 2023, we want to explore a range of themes, from identity and community to gender, faith, and family. These themes are not meant to be restrictive or exclusive, but rather to provide a framework for you to share your story and connect with others who may have similar experiences.

Tell the Story About Your Organisation

BVSC want to support the Birmingham Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector to celebrate and raise awareness of South Asian Heritage Month
Raising awareness of diverse communities across Birmingham is part of our action plan on VCFSE Race Equality: www.bvsc.org/vcfse-mris
We are looking for five local Voluntary, Community, Faith & Social Enterprise sector organisations with connections to South Asia to tell the story about their organisation – where it came from, what it looks like today and who it engages with
We would encourage those participating to share presentations/ photos through the event
We would also love you to contribute a recipe typical of a South Asian country which we will share
Following the event throughout the month we will share these stories through our website and e-bulletin
We will also be promoting other SAHM events across Birmingham – so if your organisation is running a SAHM event please let us know!

BVSC SAHM Event

BVSC will be holding an online event, open to everyone to attend on Tuesday 25 July, 1pm – 2.30pm
If you would like to speak at the event, please contact [email protected]
To register to attend the event please register below. You will automatically be sent an online TEAMS link. If this doesn’t come through then please check your junk mail/spam folder and let us know if there is an issue.

Book a place

Draft agenda for event

The following draft agenda is subject to change as we confirm more speakers

Introduction to SAHM, Prof Upkar S. Pardesi, Chair of Nishkam Centre
About your organisation (where it came from, what it looks like today and who it engages with) – 5 organisations 10 minutes each
Speakers interspersed with an interactive quiz (e.g. fun facts about the countries, their people and food)
Reflection break out rooms – 10 minutes
News and info on resources and funding opportunities for your organisation

Find out more

South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM): https://southasianheritage.org.uk/
VCFSE Race Equality: www.bvsc.org/vcfse-mris
BVSC SAHM Event: [email protected]

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