"As your VP Wellbeing and Diversity, I attended Global Plymouth's International Dinner at Sherwell Church on Saturday 24th February. The theme last month was Chinese New Year of the Dragon and the Festival of Ayyám-i-Há - a period of four days towards the end of February when millions of people gather to dine together and carry out good deeds for others.
Generosity was the theme of the month and local people offered their creative services in the hope of raising funds for a much loved local educational charity: Plymouth Centre for Faiths and Cultural Diversity. As well as the usual delicious food and cultural exchanges, we had lots of craft activities!
In February, Global Plymouth hosted students and members of the community from 33 different countries around the world- including Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Jamaica, Myanmar, Nigeria, Taiwan, Iran, Sudan, Wales, Malaysia, Denmark, India, Bangladesh, Singapore, Kuwait, USA, France, Trinidad and Tobago, Norway, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Germany, Yemen, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, El Salvador, Japan- and, of course, China!
We had a beautiful display of dragon statues, art and crafts, and delicious food from all around the world. After the supper, everyone was invited to chat and dance, and reminded that the International Dinner is a monthly celebration hosted by Global Plymouth.
Global Plymouth is a a non-profit organisation dedicated to uniting Plymouth’s international student populations with the wider community, hosting their monthly International Dinner as well as many other events! Global Plymouth’s monthly International Dinner is the largest regular multinational gathering taking place right here in your Ocean City. Those in attendance included the local society and students and staff from the University of Plymouth.
These International Dinners are referred to as the "most diverse, welcoming monthly event in the Southwest"; a "festival of shared food, music and dance." Whether you are an international student or just want to meet new people and embrace new cultures, Global Plymouth invites all University of Plymouth students and staff to get involved and attend their monthly International Dinners.
“No matter who you are, or where you are from, come do join us to sample delicious dishes from all around the world at our International Dinner. It is all for free. Please do bring along a dish/drink to share if you are able. Absolutely no worries if not – we just want to celebrate the beauty you bring to our community!” – Global Plymouth
This month’s International Dinner is on Saturday 30th March and is celebrating the start of yet another new year - Naw-Ruz! The spring equinox is celebrated by over 300 million people worldwide as the beginning of their year. So as nature renews itself and begins to come back to life after a long winter, a new year also begins. Naw-Ruz is particularly significant in Iran and Persian guests at International Dinner are looking forward to sharing this special celebration with everyone.
But there's more ...
There is not one but four celebrations in March.
- Guests will be treated to Easter Saturday celebrations.
- There will be live music to celebrate St Patrick's Day.
- South Asian friends look forward to treating everyone to a colourful explosion of the Hindu festival of Holi.
And let's not forget the food! Please join to learn more about these amazing traditions and help celebrate with your own contribution of colourful and delicious dishes, home comfort foods and traditional family recipes. Help the community to learn about your cultural food and cuisine and add your unique personal magic to the evening.
A donation box will also be available for those who may wish to make a financial donation towards future International Dinners."
You can find out more about Global Plymouth and their events on Meetup or by connecting with them on Facebook here.