Equality activities and events

Equality and diversity

East and South East Asian Heritage Month

The logo for BESEA month

British East and South East Asian Heritage Month, or BESEA, is celebrated every September. It celebrates East and South East Asian heritage, culture, history and everything in between.

This year, the theme is 'Roots/Routes', looking at family narratives of journeys and stories, cultural identity, and the idea of 'belonging'.

Their online calendar of events provides everything from arts and crafts, self care, and even business seminars.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month

June is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) History Month. Every year, we celebrate this month to tackle prejudice, celebrate the achievements of, and amplify the voices of GRT people.

This year's theme is Weaving Journeys, looking at patterns of travel for GRT people, both in distance and time. 2022 saw some significant legislation change, where the definition of a 'traveller' in planning documents was adjusted so GRT people who could not travel due to age or ill health could still be recognised as travellers.

Read more with Friends, Families and Travellers' Digital Engagement Pack.

Pride

Pride month is celebrated every June with parades, festivals and events. It's a visible and joyful occasion aimed at bringing LGBTQ+ people and allies together to have a great time and raise awareness of issues facing the community. This is especially important during times where LGBTQ+ rights are being scrutinised or debated, and hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people are on the rise.

Cambridge Pride is happening on Saturday 17 June at Jesus Green. In 2022, 10,000 people attended for a fun, colourful and proud day. This year, it aims to be even bigger.

LGBTQ+ History Month

LGBTQ+ History Month logo

2023 marks 20 years since Section 28 was repealed. Section 28 was a law which banned local authorities from 'promoting homosexuality', including banning teaching about the 'acceptability' of homosexual relationships. Many schools and teachers were unsure what they could teach about gay people, and a number of local LBGTQ+ groups were shut down over fears they could breach the law. You can read about the timeline of Section 28.

Disability History Month

In honour of Disability History Month (DHM), each week we shared resources from disabled writers, artists and creators. Two of these videos are shared below.