University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is celebrating the achievements of students and staff from a range of backgrounds in a dedicated showcase as part of Black History Month (1-31 October).
Highlighting the talents of those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) cultures, UWS is displaying the amazing efforts of its BAME students and staff from across all of its five campuses in a special installation at The Hub on the University’s Paisley campus.
The diverse range of backgrounds and beliefs at UWS is being celebrated with a display containing the profiles of, and inspiring messages from, BAME individuals at the University. The display is surrounded by vibrant, colourful fabrics, which represent some of the countries staff and students originate from.
Some of those being recognised include Franklin Jacob, Vice President of Societies and Citizenship of the Students’ Association at UWS (SAUWS), who was the first BAME International Sabbatical officer of SAUWS, and Naira Dar, the University’s Equality and Organisational Development Consultant, who founded the UWS South Asian Social Research Forum and the Scottish Ethnic Minority Women’s Network.
Dr Waiyin Hatton, Chair of Court of UWS officially launched the University’s BAME showcase at an event in The Hub, which brought together staff and students to listen to speeches and learn about their peers’ successes. Dr Waiyin was the first BAME CEO of NHS in Scotland, and also the founder of Wai Beyond, an organisation that inspires and nurtures greatness in people.
Throughout October the menu in The Hub will include a range of delicacies from a host of different countries for staff and students to try out. The dishes are inspired by the diverse cultures and traditions of BAME staff and students at UWS.
Franklin Jacob, organiser of the event, said: “Black History Awareness Month focusses on the past, and rightly so, but we also wanted to celebrate the bright future for the BAME community across Scotland.
“There are many successful BAME individuals at UWS, and we hope to inspire others across a range of backgrounds, as well as create a cross-cultural exchange on campus. Students will be able to learn about different cultures, taste different foods, and listen to music from around the world during the showcase, creating a truly immersive experience.”
Speaking at the showcase, Dr Waiyin Hatton said: “This showcase is a celebration of the talent and achievements of the BAME community at UWS, as well as highlighting the hard work the University is doing to foster and encourage cultural unity.
“This showcase demonstrates success is achievable no matter what your cultural identity or background.
“I am proud to be part of a University working hard to create a diverse and inclusive cross-campus community, putting the needs of its students first.”
To find out more about those being recognised and to visit the showcase, go to The Hub, which is on level one of the Robertson Trust Library & Learning Resource Centre on Paisley Campus.