Since 1986, BANEA has gathered together researchers, students, educators, and museum professionals based in the United Kingdom who work on the archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia (EMSWA). 
 
We recognise that BANEA, as an organisation which has historically represented British archaeologists working in the Eastern Mediterranean, Southwest Asia, Egypt and North Africa regions, is constituted with the innate bias which it has inherited from that history. As an organisation, we are working toward transforming and addressing the structures, priorities, and leadership of BANEA to centre a broader range of voices, particularly those historically excluded from the shaping of the discipline.

Given this history, and the institutions from which BANEA gathers its membership, the Steering Committee recognises a pressing need to re-examine its position and priorities in light of the society-wide effort to decolonise perceptions, practices and representation. BANEA must consciously learn from the diverse demographics and concerns of professionals and students engaged in the archaeology and cultural heritage of the region today.
 
Over the last few years, BANEA as a representative collective, has been exploring ways we can proactively creating a more diverse and equitable organisation to set an example for the wider discipline and academic community through the provision of information, testimonials, and resources. 
Therefore, we are committed to building an equitable and accountable organisation, not only by increasing representation, but by challenging the structural inequalities that shape access, legitimacy, and voice in the discipline. We acknowledge that scholars from the region, whose histories, knowledges, and communities are often at the heart of the research, have been structurally excluded from shaping the field. We are committed to amplifying their voice, creating equitable partnerships, and ensuring access through institutional change.
 

We also recognise that scholars from the region can face significant challenges to participation in our annual conference, for example, due to a lack of funding opportunities, visa and travel restrictions, language, etc. We are working to make our annual conference more accessible, through initiatives such as expanding the number of scholarship schemes for overseas students, offering virtual conference content, and encouraging a diverse range of speakers. 

Our Community Guidelines reflect what we understand as best practice for BANEA members in the field, in the university, and in the museum with regards to inclusion, creating safe spaces, encouraging different voices, etc. In developing these guidelines, we were influenced by the growing number of excellent resources, some of which are listed here, which explore how our discipline can reflect on existing inequalities and be more proactive around ameliorating them.