"Food is a wonderful medium to celebrate diversity and build relationships"
Christmas 2020, in the middle of the Corona lockdown, some committed Cottbus citizens organized a campaign for the international students who had financial difficulties due to the pandemic and could not travel home. After a few days, the BTU students took over the cooking spoon themselves. The action turned into a community gathering that attracted students from different communities and countries who volunteered to prepare and share their traditional dishes.
Upama Kabir, a BTU student from Bangladesh, was then part of the initiative and has now published the recipes from the campaign in a small cookbook. "The idea for the cookbook came from the stories behind these culinary creations, such as cooking with loved ones," she recalls.
Upama has been studying "Heritage Conservation and Site Management" at BTU since 2018. Before coming to Germany, she had earned her bachelor's degree in Architecture in her home country of Bangladesh, where she had already gained professional experience in design.
"I asked students to submit not only their recipes, but also the accompanying photos, illustrations and personal anecdotes that added sentimental value to each dish," she recalls. "In order to authentically portray the culture of each country, I did extensive research and tried to give each page a real sense of home. In cases where the senders of the recipes were no longer in Germany or couldn't submit their own photo, we simply recreated and photographed the recipes ourselves." Upama Kabir was assisted by her fellow "Chef" students Md. Fuhad Anwar Sinha and Ibrat Sharif, who collected the students' recipes.
The small cookbook in English can be picked up at the anniversary celebration on the main campus on July 1, 2023 and at the Campus Senftenberg on July 8. Our partner, Techniker Krankenkasse, made the printing possible, thank you very much!
"This project taught me the importance of collaboration and the remarkable richness that lies in cultural diversity," Upama explains. "The opportunity to work with students from different backgrounds and nationalities has enriched my experience and funded a deeper understanding of how to integrate people."
To students considering coming to BTU, the student advises, "Get involved in the vibrant multicultural environment, seize the opportunity to interact with people from different cultures, and make the most of the enriching experiences that await you!"
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