South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) aims to celebrate, commemorate, and educate people about the South Asian cultures, histories, and communities. It seeks to understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia. As a place that has become home from people around the world, we have a proud history of welcoming and benefiting from the positive impact people from South Asia have made to our shared history.

Bradford South Asian Heritage Month (BSAHM), will run a series of activities throughout South Asian Heritage Month, culminating with a three-day weekender from August 18.

BSAHM is a not-for-profit volunteer collective. It runs various activities throughout the year, kicking things off during SAHM with the BSAF weekender.

BSAF is a small but growing festival which has been around a few years since the pandemic when a group of like-minded individuals started Bradford South Asian Heritage Month, a Bradford offshoot of SAHM. It is a women led collective of artists, producers and other professionals who want to celebrate all elements of the multi layered desi / South Asian diaspora heritage, to be bold and unabashed about that ‘desiness’ and to be an inclusive, tolerant, and most importantly joyful space for exploring ideas and enjoying the best in us.

This year’s festival is themed J.O.Y – Just Own ‘You’ and will celebrate the little things from within the South Asian heritage that enrich our lives and bring us happiness, be that our food, our clothes, our wedding traditions,

Events include:

Monday 7 August

• Community film showcase and discussion on ‘The joy of film’ for the South Asian diaspora. A film showcase (details TBC) will be followed by a panel chat about the joy, spectacle, escapism, and colour inherent in South Asian cinema (be that Bollywood, South Indian or Pakistani films) and how they have influenced wider culture and specifically the Brit Asian film genre.

Friday 18 August

• Official BSAF 2023 launch event and Gigglewalees (female comics) comedy night celebrating girl powered humour. It will be a fully inclusive gig, but the focus will be showcasing some amazing talent, with a TBC headline act and a bill of up-and-coming female comedians, all from Bradford, who have been workshopping stand-up comedy over the last few months and many will be making their festival debut! Venue: Inspirational Women Foundation HQ at Bolton House, Bolton Road, Bradford.
• The ‘D’ Word – Diversity has become a priority for majority of organisations. We have not only started to recognise the benefits of this, but how fundamental it is in tackling systemic and structural inequalities.  Part of South Asian Heritage Festival; a round table discussion brings together key leaders across our place to reflect on the ‘D’ word.
• What does it mean for organisations and leaders?
• What are we doing to activate diversity?
• And how are we recognising key dates of significance in a meaningful way?
• What else do we need to do?

The round table will encourage challenge, debate and sharing of examples. You can book your place here.

Participants will be offered a complimentary ticket for Gigglewalahs, Bradford South Asian Festival’s annual comedy night, and the official launch event of BSAF2023. Further details will be sent when you book.

Saturday 19 August

• Kala Sangam Arts Centre Theatre writing workshops; an antakshari (singing riff off) competition and a ladies only Bollywood retro disco

Sunday 20 August

• Main BSAF festival day at Thornbury Centre (mini mela, stalls, desi dress up portrait stall, poetry open mic – ‘Mehfil’, ‘BSAF’s Little Foodies’ children’s cookery classes; creative/arts workshops, community choir performance from the Song Geet south Asian ladies choir (as seen at the coronation concert)

You can download the full programme of events here.

Throughout Bradford’s South Asian Heritage Month, BSAF will also be hosting a series of fun pop ups across the city, including our hit samosa making stall. Watch out for us at some of the summer’s other festivals and parks/open spaces!

For more details and a full calendar of events taking place locally, follow @BradfordSAF on Facebook and Instagram, and @Bradford_SAF on Twitter.

You can also watch last year’s highlights:

You can also show your involvement in other ways too;

• Why not visit Bussing Out, an exhibition created by Shabina Aslam, Senior Producer at the Theatre in the Mill.  Bussing Out refers to an educational policy impacting South Asian, West Indian and African children who migrated to Britain in the 60s and 70s from former British colonies. It brings together oral history, creative non-fiction, 2D and 3D animation, binaural audio recording, set design and creative technology to animate a hidden history related to post-war migration, as you enter the bus, you step into the 1970s. More details here; https://www.bradford.ac.uk/news/archive/2022/bussing-out-interactive-art-exhibition-opens-at-theatre-in-the-mill.php You can view the exhibition by contacting Shabina Aslam s.aslam26@bradford.ac.uk, which is available on Wednesdays throughout the year.
• How much do you know about South Asian Heritage?  Why not test your knowledge by playing this quiz at one of your meetings or social gatherings?
• Download the social media toolkit?  The toolkit includes quotes and images from senior leaders across Bradford District who celebrate, recognise and reflect on South Asian Heritage this month.

Featured messages from our partners

First and foremost South Asian History Month matters to me because I don’t believe that we can serve our residents, communities and businesses unless and until we really understand them, what matters to them, and the issues and challenges they face.

It’s also an opportunity to celebrate the many outstanding contributions of individuals, community, civic and business leaders along with the businesses and community organisations with strong connections to South Asia to the life of the Bradford District.

Finally as a historian by training the history of the South Asian sub continent is both complex and fascinating and has so much to teach us as seek to create prosperity and wellbeing not just in our District but globally.

Kersten England, Chief Executive of Bradford Council

People of South Asian heritage make an immeasurable contribution to the cultural and economic life of modern Britain, and locally make up a significant and growing proportion of the communities we serve in Bradford District and Craven. For many people here, South Asian history contributes to shaping how they see the world and offers insight into how we can approach the future together.

James Drury, Partnerships Director for Health and Care Partnership

I will always be indebted to the sacrifices made by my great uncle who fought for England in WW2, and my father, who moved to Bradford, to give my siblings and I the opportunities he never had growing up.

The more I embrace my own rich heritage and the place I call home; the more I am able to harmonise my dual identity; I am Pakistani and British, but intrinsically Bradfordian.

Recognising SAHM, tells me we collectively recognise the contributions we all played in building an accepting and welcoming place and that I belong here.

Zahra Niazi, Strategic Lead for Equity, Diversity and Belonging for the Wellbeing Board