Last week Wimbledon High School celebrated diversity with its very own Heritage Week. The school which has pupils from many different nationalities had a week full of activities dedicated to recognising and honouring heritage. The week was rounded off with a mufti-day where girls dressed up proudly in clothes that resembled or meant something to them or their ancestors. The week got me thinking about the importance of our heritage.
Heritage is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary to be 'features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages, or buildings, which come from the past and are still important'. In terms of people, a child born a British Citizen-but has French parents could say they have French heritage. Even if they don't speak the French language and are British by nationality, they still have French heritage as it refers to their ancestors and what they can be identified with.
Heritage contributes greatly to our culture and how we identify ourselves. Heritage is something that is always with a person no matter how many times one moves country, continent and changes nationality. It is a way of acknowledging and connecting with our ancestors and also make us feel part of a greater global community which we share common things with. Therefore, heritage is very important as it is something that makes a person, incorporating the past, present and even the future. Furthermore, heritage is significant to the point that on many occasions it has been a great source of comfort for different people. As the famous Irish-American actress Maureen O'Hara said, “My heritage has been my grounding, and it has brought me peace.” The week at Wimbledon High School really emphasised the importance of heritage, as it a part of you which you can truly be proud of. Heritage is something very important which should be remembered, explored and definitely not forgotten.
