In this lunchtime event, hosted by Sonia Nair, a panel of culinary experts and enthusiasts, including Hana Assafiri, Aseel Tayah and Tayebeh will reflect on the power of storytelling through cooking. They’ll discuss the important role that food plays in the exchange of cultural and community knowledge and share their memories of connecting to home through food. Attendees are encouraged to bring along their own lunch to the session, and sample some sweet treats for dessert, provided by social enterprise Free to Feed.
Presented in partnership with Melbourne Knowledge Week
Wheelchair accessible
Accessible toilets available
Hana Assafiri has dedicated her professional and private life to removing barriers that prevent women from living prosperous lives. By opening her first restaurant in 1998, the popular Moroccan Soup Bar in North Fitzroy–now an institution for many Victorians, Hana has provided employment opportunities for marginalised members of the community. In 2015, she was awarded TimeOut’s Legend Award for her flair for innovation and entrepreneurship. Internationally renowned artist Ai Weiwei also chose to include Hana in his famous collection of portraits of local social activists.
To foster cross-cultural conversation and discussion, Hana holds monthly events coined ‘Speed Date a Muslim’ and ‘Conversation Salons’ to bring together academics, journalists and community organisations to debate and discuss contemporary issues, with a focus on women’s issues, racism and the need for plurality and a progressive vision. She has also been a mentor for many young women, particularly from marginalised backgrounds.
In March 2017 Hana was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women, celebrating her contribution made to local communities and human rights.
Aseel Tayah is a Melbourne-based Palestinian artist, creative director and cultural leader who uses her practice to advocate for artists of colour, mothers, children and young people, 'changing the world, one project at a time' ...
Originally from Ilam, a Kurdish city in the western part of Iran, Tayebeh grew up with a fusion of influences from her Iranian grandmother and Iraqi mother. Tayebeh’s work and studies traverse architecture in Iran to child-care ...