This week, Worcester News welcomes our newest columnist Cllr Jabba Riaz, who is chair and founder of Worcester Mela.

As the founder and chair of the Worcester Mela it is a great honour to be asked to write regularly for the Worcester News in our own dedicated column.

Worcester Mela is a volunteer led organisation that was started two years ago with the aim of displaying the beauty of South Asian culture and to ‘Unite the City through colour Culture and Creativity’.

In the small amount of time, we have been established, we have achieved some spectacular things. Not least the production of an award-winning documentary called ‘Worcester Voices’ that charts the story of settlers from the Indian Subcontinent arriving in Worcester the documentary is available on YouTube by searching for Worcester Mela Voices.

A Covid memorial recognising those that lost their lives in the Pandemic at Worcestershire Royal, Kidderminster & Redditch Hospitals and of course the Worcester Mela itself held at the Worcester show.

At our latest event, our Mayor Louis Stephen and Our MP Robin Walker asked me what the word Mela meant. Mela (Sanskrit: मेला) is a Sanskrit word meaning "gathering" or "to meet" or a "fair” the simplest analogy being that of a summer fete or village fair, but in an Indian sub-continent context.

The mayor then stated that it really does seem to be an extension of your “Mayoral Theme of Love not Hate”. It became apparent my message transcends that of politics and that Worcester Mela is representatives of all communities.

My aim as Mayor was always to be able to unite , heal divides, build bridges and create goodwill amongst our communities and the formation of the Worcester Mela was another means by which I could do that to display the beauty of my cultural heritage and the valuable contributions made by our communities within the city and county, while educating tackling taboo subjects and challenging stereo-types through the medium of the arts.

I am so proud of what the Mela team has achieved and how the residents of Worcester and wider county have welcomed us with open arms that we are now a crucial part of the arts and cultural offer in Worcester, our Mela team has worked tirelessly to be able to bring you high quality events and we are on the look out for board members and volunteers, so feel free to reach out if you’re interested!

Our West Midland’s Mayors – Bringing communities together event held last week at the Commandery funded by The National Lottery Community Fund & Worcestershire Ambassadors showed the power of what we can do.

We partnered up with Worcestershire Museums and the Commandery to bring Mela to the commandery gardens. Despite the showers we managed to entertain and educate around 500 visitors from all walks of life and backgrounds, which I believe is a record for the commandery on a Heritage Day weekend.

Our next project focuses on stage two of our journey, called the Melting Pot, that explores the story of migrant communities from Bangladesh, Italy, India, Pakistan, Spain entering the workforce in our industrial factories, namely Metal Box, Metal Castings, Lea and Perrins, Royal Worcester, Kays and Industrial and Tractor between 1965-1990.

We will be holding events throughout the coming six months where we will invite you comment and share your stories.

For now, I hope this is the start of a special relationship, where we the Mela can educate as well as learn and seek common ground that unites us and brings us together.

Cllr Jabba Riaz