MMRACE NEWSLETTER

Syrian Dinner Community Event

Where Everyone Has a Welcoming Seat At The Table

On November 16th, 2023 Mid Maine Regional Adult Community Education combined efforts with our Syrian students and their family members to create a a large family style dinner.

At 5pm staff began welcoming the community into our dining hall space where they were greeted with nametags to wear and a quickly-building line for the buffet setup of Syrian dishes. We invited everyone to grab a plate and sit down to have dinner as a community.

Dishes Served at our Syrian Dinner:
Baba Ganoush
Fatteh
Hummus
Kabsah
Manakeesh
Syrian Cheese
Tabbouleh
Yaprek (aka Dolma)

After everyone had time to enjoy their meal, our director, Hannah Bard, introduced the Syrian Dinner to everyone, as well as the incredible students and families who had made the dinner possible. Some students chose to speak about their path to the US and their current experience learning while living in the US.

All together it was a wonderful night full of colorful, delicious, flavorful food and friendly, open and upbeat conversations. We are greatly thankful to the families for taking their time to prepare home-cooked foods for the community, for sharing their culture and their stories with us.

We look forward to hosting more of these in the upcoming 2024 Spring Semester.

We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who made it such a special evening.

A big shoutout to our incredible learners who not only shared their stories but also gifted us with a taste of their culture. Your contributions made it an unforgettable experience for us all.

And let’s talk about the feast! Several of our Syrian neighbors treated us to a mouthwatering array of dishes, reminding us that breaking bread together is a beautiful way to celebrate diversity.

Thank you for being part of this joyous occasion and for making MMRACE, and the greater Waterville area, a place where friendship knows no borders. Let’s keep building bridges, breaking down barriers, and creating a community where everyone feels valued and at home.

Here’s to more celebrations, more unity, and more love. Cheers to our amazing community!

With gratitude,

MMRACE Staff