Our 'True' Story
From a 'moment' to a 'life-long journey'
About ten years ago, in 2016, something extraordinary happened on an otherwise ordinary morning.
As part of the usual routine, one man of Indian origin went to drop his son off at Kings Monkton School. While saying goodbye, one of his son’s Welsh friends noticed him and asked, “Who is he?”
His son replied, “He is my father.”
The boy then asked, “What does he do?”
The son answered, “He is a solicitor.”
The boy appeared surprised and said, “Oh! I didn’t know an Indian man could be a solicitor. I thought they were either doctors, taxi drivers, or ran corner shops.”
It was a moment of pure innocence, with no malice intended. Yet it revealed something deeper: how limited exposure can lead to collective and societal ignorance, which in turn fosters stereotypes and quietly hinders social cohesion and integration.
That simple conversation highlighted a significant spatial and temporal gap within Welsh society. It underscored the reality that there are often too few opportunities for people to truly know one another or to understand the diverse cultures and heritages that shape modern Wales. This realisation led to a series of town hall meetings, bringing together intergenerational participants from a wide range of backgrounds. Feedback from these consultations clearly identified the need for a safe space—one that is non-political and non-religious—where community members can engage openly and without judgement. At its heart was a shared aspiration: to create more opportunities for people from different racial and cultural backgrounds to meet, learn, and share their stories, moving beyond a sense of “us” and “them” towards a stronger, collective sense of “ours.”
The Birth of KIRAN Cymru
Out of that moment of reflection came a new vision, a Wales where diversity isn’t just acknowledged or taught as a theoretical subject, but lived, included in our daily lives, and genuinely celebrated.
KIRAN Cymru was born to:
Engage: Connecting intergenerational people from diverse backgrounds actively and meaningfully through arts, culture, heritage and sports.
Educate: Promoting understanding and knowledge about different arts, culture and heritage.
Empower individuals — Promoting Equality and Diversity by enabling merginalised people to have a voice in community, society and public life.
What began as a simple conversation about misunderstanding has grown into a movement for belonging, connecting hundreds of people across Wales every year.
A journey, NOT a destination
Today, KIRAN Cymru stands as a bridge, the only organisation in Wales of its kind, linking communities, stories, and generations.
We are proud to help build an anti-racist, inclusive Wales, where every child grows up believing that their future isn’t defined by their background, but by their dreams.
“From that one question — Can an Indian be a solicitor? —
we found our answer in unity, empathy, and shared humanity.”
— Mrs Tamasree Mukhopadhyay, CEO, KIRAN Cymru
