East and South East Asian Heritage Month
Published on 17 Sep 2025
Disclaimer: The content on this blog is the opinion of the author and it was correct at the time of writing
What is East and South East Asian Heritage Month about?
East and South East Asian Heritage Month (Also known as ESEA Heritage Month) was established in the UK to honour and celebrate the culture, diversity, history and contributions of East and South East Asian communities across the UK and raise awareness for those who are not East and/or South East Asian.
When does it take place?
ESEA Heritage Month takes place every September across the UK, with both online and in-person events hosted by businesses, charities, community organisations, as well as individuals!
The theme for 2025 is Reframing Resilience. The theme was chosen to encourage those taking part to think about: “how we reframe silent stoicism to reflect on shared strength, resistance, vulnerability and interconnectedness.”
The organisers encourage everyone taking part to interpret the theme as freely as you like, and make suggestions on how your organisation could explore the theme through events and activities on the ESEA Heritage Month website.
Which places are in East and South East Asia?
East Asia
China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan.
South East Asia
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor) and Vietnam.
When did East and South East Asian Heritage Month begin?
The first East and South East Asian Heritage Month in the UK took place in September 2021. It was created by besea.n (Britain’s East and South East Asian Network), a volunteer-led, grassroots community-focused organisation that aims to empower, educate and embrace East and South East Asian (ESEA) communities across the UK.
ESEA Heritage Month isn’t ‘officially’ recognised by the UK government yet. Besides it being the right thing to do, to recognise and celebrate ESEA heritage, culture and contributions in the UK, organisations also have the unique opportunity to take action and lead in best practice on marking ESEA Heritage Month across workplaces.
Why is it important?
East and South East Asian Heritage Month creates space for people of ESEA heritage across the UK to celebrate their identities, cultures, and backgrounds, as well as reclaim their history by sharing their own stories and experiences. It also provides learning opportunities for others and opportunities for growth for all allies.
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