July 18 – August 17 is South Asian Heritage Month, celebrating the heritage of people with roots in the South Asian countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. This year’s theme is Free to Be Me.
Unlike most commemoration months, SAHM takes place across two Western calendar months (July and August). The reason for this is that it respects the traditions of the South Asian solar calendar and 18 July – 17 August contains several significant dates:
- 18 July: the Indian Independence Act of 1947 gained royal assent[8]
- 26 July: Maldives Independence Day
- 8 August: Bhutan Independence Day
- 14 August: Pakistani Independence Day
- 15 August: Indian Independence Day
- 17 August: Partition Commemoration Day or the date that the Radcliffe Line was published in 1947, setting out where the border between India, West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) would be
The month also very nearly coincides with the South Asian month of Saravan/Sawan, which is the main monsoon month when the region’s habitat undergoes renewal. (Sources: southasianheritage.org.uk and Wikipedia).
Please join us in honoring and celebrating the many learners we serve from these communities!
