Published on 31 March 2022
Staff and students have had their taste buds well and truly tickled today (Thursday, 31 March) at the University of Sunderland's Global Food Festival.
The event, organised by the University’s BAME Staff Network and the Students’ Union, saw CitySpace on City Campus transformed into a bustling hive of activity, featuring Indian, Greek and Lebanese dancers, a lion dance performance, African music and calligraphy.
An extensive menu of Lebanese, African Caribbean, Greek, Indian, Chinese and Cantonese food was also on offer.
The festival is based on the concept that food unites us all, bringing people together by celebrating diversity through our common love for tasty and nutritious food.
The event encompasses both equality and inclusion, as staff and students share cuisines from across the world, as well as representing both staff and students who come from a range of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Justine Gillespie, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at the University of Sunderland, said: “After almost two years of working remotely, the BAME Staff Network were keen to arrange an event that brought the University staff and students together.
“Working with the Students’ Union, the idea of the Global Food Festival came to fruition, the motivation was to acknowledge the intrinsic role food plays within societies and families as a bonding agent.
“Eating together essentially enables us to stay connected with the ones we love. Families and friends often use the time at the dinner table to talk about their days, weeks, life in general or current affairs, allowing bonding to take place over the food. There is also the fun of eating different foods and sharing different recipes, especially across cultures.
“We hope that the Global Food Festival along with the cultural activities enable staff and students to bond together after such a difficult time.
“Huge thanks to the BAME Staff Network and the Students’ Union for creating this brilliant event.”
Alongside the festival, staff and students were also encouraged to share their food recipes as part of social media campaign, using the hashtag #whatareyouhavingfortea.