On November 8, 2018, Al-Bustan hosted our first On The Table dinner and discussion. This event was part of a series of meals and conversations happening throughout Philadelphia on this day.
As the 30 guests arrived, they drew a random number from a jar and had to find their seat assignment in Arabic using the number chart we had made or rely on assistance from an Arabic speaking guest or the chef’s son Amer. Our idea with the Arabic seating assignment was to engage participants in a problem solving mindset from the moment they walked through the doors and to create opportunities for conversation from the get-go. The first segment of the event included a cooking demonstration with Syrian Chef Osama and his wife Falak who resettled 2 years ago in Philadelphia from Damascus via Cairo. Tasting the delicious food was the next highlight! While guests worked their way through plates of fattoush, stuffed eggplant, and rice, our staff facilitated conversations at the dinner tables on food as cultural heritage and immigration in Philadelphia.
At the end of the evening, participants completed a survey where they were asked what steps they will take to make their community a better place to live. These are some of their answers:
Interacting more with diversified cultures
Encouraging others to begin to explore new cultures through food
Welcoming refugees
