Feeling the love, tasting the food and culturing friends

A lunchtime intercultural cookery and cultural awareness training event was held in the Jobstown Community Centre recently.

The event was led by Jobstown resident and founder of the popular Social Inclusion Summer Camp, Yemi Ojo, as part of a wider Social Inclusion Festival by the South Dublin Migrant Integration Forum.

The event’s participants included members of An Cosán’s wellness group, the intercultural centre group based in Mountain Park, and Túsla staff.

“The atmosphere was happy, positive and friendly,” Ms Ojo, who is a family support worker in Chamber House, told The Echo.

“After the cooking, we all got to taste the food: jollof rice and special non-alcoholic beverages from Nigeria, such as Nigerian Fanta, malt and Agege bread.”

A total of 15 people took part in the well-received event, which Ms Ojo hopes will have a lasting impact on those who attended.

“The impact I hope the event had on attendees is that they will feel the community love, no matter their background,” she said.

“[I hope they’ll have an] open mind towards other food from other cultures, a willingness to learn and to taste new food from other cultures.”

Ms Ojo added that she wanted to thank the South Dublin Social Inclusion Unit, the Jobstown Community Centre, her daughter Stephanie and the event’s participants for their support.