How Berlin's citizens are trying to solve the refugee crisis with food - Meet 'n Eat
Integration.
A topic over which people's opinions currently diverge incomparably. Should Muslim women be allowed to wear headwear or a burka in public to continue their deeply rooted cultural practice? Or does it portray the complete opposite view to the western culture in relation to women’s rights and should therefore be abandoned?
These controversial questions were all around in the last weeks and did not contribute to any integration process at all. Nevertheless, there are people with an incredible social passion who create initiatives that try to integrate Arabic people and refugees around the world into the German society.
The idea
One example illustrates the event called “Meet n’ Eat” which takes place once a week at a community hall in Prenzlauer Berg. On Wednesdays people from all different cultures, new and old neighbors meet and get to know each other. So what brings people together and is probably one of the best conversation-starters? Exactly, it’s food! And in this case, it’s pretty damn good food. Cooked in collaboration with a team of Cooks and refugees (all are working for free and with great passion) the food varies from Arabic to Mediterranean to everything else you could imagine.
Not only is it very enlightening to see the positive energy that takes place, to witness that there are enough people who have respect towards each other and their cultures. It also shows that a harmonic life together is possible although the cultural backgrounds are different. Furthermore, you get to know personal life-stories and start to understand why it was so urgent for the people to leave their old lives behind them.
The Food
What was on the agenda last week when we had our first visit? Nice talks and a cool short-film from a volunteer about the event, recapping the vibes, food, and all the great people who attended this event. On the lunch-menu was a delicious cucumber-avocado soup, followed by polenta with foul and a fennel salad. As a desert the cooking-team made a great fruit-salad with a cardamom cream.
Lend a hand
We believe in the power of this phrase. You can support Meet 'n Eat with small activities like cake donations or restoring the rooms afterwards. The idea works completely on voluntary and donation basis. They need any support they can get. There is always a doodle list, where you can choose, where and when to help. So be proactive!
“Sit together, eat together, talk together, live together!”
