A unique British attempt to keep alive the 'cultural memory' of the South Asian community in Leicester and throughout Britain will be launched later this week by Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Chair of the Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain.
The University of Leicester will host the South Asian Diaspora Literature and Arts Archive, an interactive collection of material by artists and writers from the South Asian community in Britain, many of whom have strong connections with Leicester.
The initiative represents a partnership between the University of Leicester, Leicester City Council and SALIDAA, relating educational and research resources to the life of communities and to document history in the making.
Lord Parekh, author of the 2000 report The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain, will talk about the reflection of South Asian experience in the heritage sector and the relationship between cultural and institutional memory. Other speakers will include renowned musician Baluji and writer and academic Avtar Brah.
The launch, 'Archives and Cultural Memory', will herald the start of a programme of activities designed to forge links between artists, audiences and academics to create a 'living archive' to stimulate discussion, reflection and creativity.
The archive in Leicester will help to promote intercultural relations between the communities that exist in a city that has a large South Asian population. The project partners hope that it will stimulate interest in South Asian arts outside of its own community.
It will also enhance Leicester's status as a 'diverse city', part of the Cultural Strategy of the City Council.
"SALIDAA is about getting the message across that what people in diasporic communities are doing at an everyday level is culturally important and is the material which inspires South Asian artists, writers and performers. The contemporary cultural life of these communities can be archived as much as old, rare texts. In fact, it's very important to do so, as the identities of these communities can take shape only if their cultural 'memories' are preserved, hence the theme of the event," said Dr Anshuman Mondal of the University of Leicester's Department of English.
"This is not going to be an archive that gathers dust in a library. Exhibitions, talks and other events will bring this material out to the people of Leicester and beyond. It is a way of connecting research in academia with the world outside it."
Richard Watson, service director, Cultural Services, Leicester City Council, said, "The cultural heritage of all the communities in Leicester are extremely important and this initiative will provide a unique and invaluable record of the culture and heritage of the South Asian community in Leicester."
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