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More than 150 prominent Hindu, Sikh and Jain individuals gathered at 10 Downing St to celebrate Diwali. They met last week at Downing, although the official celebration was yesterday. Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister said:

The achievements of our British Indian communities - one and half million people- demonstrates just how much a country can achieve when talent is unleashed and people of all backgrounds are able to fulfil their potential.”

David Cameron was unequivocal. "The military," he said. "The military is definitely one sector where I don't see black people represented at the top." That was four years ago, and the former prime minister was talking to me about the sectors of society in which he felt people of African or African Caribbean heritage were most conspicuous by their absence.

The very idea of thinking about a Black legacy propels us to both celebrate great achievements whist planning for an even brighter future.

The Legacy Gala dinner, to which OBV is a supporter seeks to do both on one special evening.

Organised by the dynamic ‘A few good men’, in collaboration with the Society of Black Lawyers and and Blaksox, the Gala dinner will celebrate achievements, be a space for networking and future planning. But like the very best Black events, they’ll be good food, and great entertainment.

Since their founding in 2012 by two inspirational businesswomen, Melanie Eusebe Sophie Chandauka, the Black British Business Awards have become a staple in the award calendar for black public figures, as well as, business figures and politicians alike. Below is a report from the Voice newspaper about this year's event.
Ashok Viswanathan.

Winners ‘all helping to build a diverse, dynamic workforce’ to boost economy

Never before in British history as there ever been so much Black talent on the British cinema screens during a three month cinema season.

This type of collaboration is unprecedented and will show case Black actors, Directors and writers from the US, UK and Africa. It is in essence an explosion of Black talent.

There’ll be talks, podcasts, workshops and of course a kaleidoscope of films.

We disagree with the present direction of this Government. In particularly the present Home Office Secretary Amber Rudd, seems once again to be blaming ‘foreigners’s all society’s ills. Furthermore, following the Brexit referendum in June we have already seen a massive rise in racist violence, a situation which is set to become even worse in light of this new, vicious turn in government policy. Uniting and organising to turn the tide on this racist offensive is critically important.

Home Office figures on race and religious hate crime directly after the Brexit vote show an alarming rise right across the country.

In the month after the Brexit vote  nearly 5,500 incidents were reported to the police, these included assaults, verbal abuse, and xenophobic graffiti.

Momodou Malcolm Jallow, of the 'Afroswedes fighting against racism' put on their  now annual event to both inspire the nation's Black and minority ethnic communities in Sweden and inform and challenge wider Swedish society particularly its institutions.