As Edition 12's first semester of the EMMIR programme drew to a close in December 2024, the students gathered for a special evening: an international dinner as a full cohort.
"While many of us have shared meals with close friends before, this was the first time we organized a gathering that brought everyone together around a table filled with dishes from across the world," says Shirley Tarazona, one of the E12 Programme Representatives.
Everyone brought a dish to share, whether from their home country or simply a favorite recipe.
The response was overwhelming. The evening featured an incredible spread of flavors, with dishes from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Korea, Vietnam, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Ghana, and Nigeria. Each plate carried a story, a memory, and a piece of home.
A special shout-out goes to Professor Paula Banerjee, who, despite being unable to attend, prepared a delicious curry for the group!
The dinner became an intimate moment for Edition 12 to reflect on their first semester before heading off on their various winter holiday destinations and eventually on to Stavanger, Norway for their second semester. The evening was captured beautifully in photographs by fellow E12 student Gabriela Rubiano.
Shirley reflected on the evening: "It turned out to be a wonderful moment of connection, filled with gratitude, laughter, and shared experiences. Everyone enjoyed it immensely, we laughed, shared, and celebrated together."
"Food travels with migrants wherever they go. It adapts to new ingredients but always carries love and a sense of home."
"Migration and food are deeply connected," she says. "Food travels with migrants wherever they go. It adapts to new ingredients but always carries love and a sense of home." Cooking with friends is a way to preserve identity, build community, share traditions, and create belonging in unfamiliar places.
Here’s to many more shared meals and moments of connection in the months ahead!
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