Petition · Cabinet Office
Government to use ‘Southwest Asia and North Africa' (SWANA) not Middle East
Closed
48 signatures
What the petition asks
Government should stop using ‘Middle East’ in all its official business and communications. It is colonial, because it is 'Middle East' relative to Britain. We believe that Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) is decolonial, inclusive and a geographically accurate way of identifying the region.
The Government should lead in decolonising language it uses because if it changes, others may change by example. Language matters, because it influences how we think and conceptualise the world. With such turmoil in SWANA at present, it is more important than ever that language used is free from the colonial baggage of the past. Making this change could also demonstrate to everyone that the government and parliament acknowledge and distance themselves from the colonial mindsets of the past.
Timeline
| 24 Oct 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 24 Apr 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
48
Status
Closed
Department
Cabinet Office
Opened
24 Oct 2025
Closed
24 Apr 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 19 Aug 2026.