Malian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Mali is a large, landlocked country in West Africa, home to the ancient city of Timbuktu, once a great centre of learning, and the Great Mosque of Djenne, the largest mud-brick building in the world. French is the official language, and Bambara is widely spoken. Malians in Britain include students and professionals.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 6,034 people living in the city had been born in Central and Western African countries other than Ghana and Nigeria, a group that includes Mali.

Working for Birmingham

Malian residents study and work in fields such as education, healthcare, business and the arts. Many are multilingual, and Malian musicians and artists have performed across Britain, bringing the sound of the kora and the balafon to new audiences.

Every community that has settled in Birmingham has helped to shape it. Newcomers have filled gaps in the workforce, opened shops and restaurants, and raised children who have gone on to become the city's doctors, teachers, engineers and entrepreneurs. The Malian community is part of that tradition of hard work and ambition, and of the city's own motto: Forward.

Culture and community life

Malian music, from the desert blues of Ali Farka Toure to the kora of Toumani Diabate, is admired worldwide. The manuscripts of Timbuktu are a treasure of African scholarship, and dishes such as tiguadege na, a peanut stew, are family favourites.

Birmingham's strength lies in its variety, and the Malian community is a welcome part of it. As the city continues to grow and change, that contribution will remain part of the story of a place that has always looked forward.