Latin American and African communities are promoting cultural integration in Southwark through a collaborative initiative marking International Migrants Day on 6 December at the Africa Centre – an institution approaching its 60th anniversary and long recognised for championing multicultural engagement.

Located in South London, the Africa Centre has helped strengthen ties between African, Latin, and Caribbean diasporas. CEO Olu Alake notes, “Our mission is to build cultural bridges. London grows stronger when its communities come together.”

Southwark, also marking 60 years of its current formation, adopts the principle of valuing diversity and building inclusive urban futures.

José Miranda of Comunidad Rimanakuy (Peruvian First Nation People) highlights the shared responsibility to preserve cultural heritage for future generations.

Home to about 306,000 residents, Southwark has one of the UK’s highest population densities. Census 2021 data shows that 43% of residents were born abroad, creating a mosaic of cultures. Over 12,000 South Americans — including Brazilians, Colombians, and Ecuadorians — contribute through festivals, markets, small businesses, and cafés where Portuguese, Spanish, and English coexist.

Linguistic richness is central to Southwark’s identity, reflecting London’s landscape of more than 300 spoken languages. The Lusophone community is notable for its growth and engagement in bilingual education, cultural activities, and intergenerational projects. Brazilians, Cape Verdeans, and Angolans add to the borough’s vitality, symbolically linking the Atlantic to the Thames while reinterpreting heritage and shaping contemporary migrant identities rooted in the ancestral names Alkebulan (Africa, “cradle of humanity”) and Abya Yala (Latin America, “land in full maturity”).

Near Southwark Station, the Africa Centre offers a space for expression, dialogue, and multilingual interaction. In a global context of shifting borders and identity debates, such spaces are essential for inclusive conversation and representation.

Migrant artists and cultural practitioners deepen Southwark’s creative identity, showing how arts and media influence young generations and help redefine what it means to be a Londoner today. The borough has become a stage for inclusion, creativity, and visibility.

The spirit of Southwark encourages residents to embrace both their origins and their shared community. Its streets, markets, and cafés offer a daily experience of emotional and cultural diversity, making the borough a model for coexistence. The musicality of its cultural blend contributes to London’s vibrant identity — a city shaped by the meeting of many peoples.

By jointly celebrating the anniversaries of Southwark, the Africa Centre, and International Migrants Day, the borough honours the power of coexistence, empathy, and collective creativity. Southwark continues to shine as a symbol of London’s multicultural richness, reflecting a shared commitment to participation, recognition, and transformation through respect for diversity — a true migration in celebration.

Article written by columnist Marcia Mar, Gaúcha Artist and Visionary Polymath.