Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month
Throughout July and August, ICAS will be celebrating South Asian Heritage Month and sharing the stories of British South Asian CAs within our global community.
Although about one in every 20 people living in the UK are of South Asian Heritage, there is little understanding of the rich tapestry of backgrounds, experiences, and voices across the South Asian diaspora. The month therefore marks an opportunity for people of all walks of life to come together to appreciate the varied aspects of South Asian heritage.
South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) first began in the UK in 2020, and is a grassroots movement driven by the need to increase awareness of the lived experiences of British South Asians.
The aim of the month is three-fold: to celebrate South Asian arts, culture, and heritage, to commemorate South Asian history, and to educate each other to better understand the connections between Britain and South Asia.
SAHM begins on 18 July, the date that the Indian Independence Act 1947 gained royal assent from King George VI, and ends on 17 August, the date that the Radcliffe Line was published in 1947, which set out the borders between India, West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
Clive Bellingham CA: Allyship in South Asian Heritage Month
In a video recorded to mark South Asian Heritage Month, ICAS President Clive Bellingham CA, highlights the importance of the annual celebration and reflects on the lessons he’s learned about allyship working within multi-cultural teams across the globe.
“It’s essential that we celebrate and champion the voices of people from all cultures and walks of life. We need to attract talent with varied experiences so that we can continue creating a profession which is built on diverse perspectives.”
He also encourages CAs to become the leaders of equality, diversity and inclusion, both within their organisations and as ICAS members.
“If you’d like to help ensure that the profession is open to all, please get involved with the ICAS EDI Committee, which is putting EDI at the heart of all we do.”
Sharing the stories of British South Asian CAs
For 2023, the theme of the month is ‘stories to tell’. This theme encourages those of South Asian descent to share their unique stories and provide an insight into their culture and traditions.
ICAS regularly features the voices of British South Asian members from the worlds of business and finance, highlighting the role that they are playing as the leaders of a diverse accountancy profession. With this year’s theme in mind, we will continue to amplify and champion the experiences and perspectives of British South Asian CAs within our global community by sharing their stories across our platforms throughout SAHM.
If you’d like to share your story and connection to South Asian heritage, then please get in touch with us at communications@icas.com.
Learn more about SAHM and how you can get involved in the celebrations.
