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Past and Upcoming Events

IDI Edmonton Intercultural Dialogue Institute Edmonton Newsletter

Practice Dialogue

At every issue this corner will focus on some tips on how to practice dialogue.

• Leave your comfort zone and participate activities in your city.

• Try to choose activities that are not familiar to you at all.

• Build empathy to be able to understand the other.

• Reach out and have the conversation.

Come and visit Muttart Conservatory on March 8th

The Muttart Conservatory presents a pyramid opening celebrating all things Turkey! Stop in to see Turkish cultural demonstrations, performances and activities!

There will be a wide range of fun activities for all ages to enjoy. Come and taste Turkish coffee and tea with your

family to feel the warmth of Turkish hospitality.

Seminar: March 4th 6:30pm MLA Steve Young will speak about Alberta’s Economy

and Oil Prices.

Turkish Delight March 8th 12:00pm The Muttart Conservatory presents a Turkish

delight event.

Anzac Day April 18th Anzac day friendship gathering will be

held in Edmonton.

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2015 JAN-FEB-MARCH

Global Aid Award Intercultural Dialogue Institute Edmonton

organized Global Aid Award Ceremony just recently Feb 24th at Royal Glenora Club.

Kimse Yok Mu & Red Cross Global Award recipients were Kimse Yok Mu and Canadian Red Cross aid organizations. Both organization received the award to recognize their great achievement and their outstanding performance on World’s well being.

Many people from all walks of life attended ceremony including MLA Steve Young, MLA Alana DeLong, Mr. Metin Cetiner, General Coordinator of Kimse Yok Mu , Doug Bryson, Provincial Manager, Alberta Disaster Management of Red Cross, and Nick Condradi, Advisory Committee Councilor for Red

The Event was a Great Success MLA Steve Young has presented a Global Aid Award to the Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) aid foundation for their great achievement and outstanding performance on World’s well being. On behalf of Canadian Red Cross Mr. Doug Bryson received a Global Aid Award from MLA Alana

Kimse Yok Mu & Red Cross Both Kimse Yok Mu and Canadian Red Cross are international non-profit humanitarian aid organizations. Kimse Yok Mu based in Turkiye with 40 branches throughout the country, which also provides humanitarian relief in over 113 countries, as well as having 180,000+ volunteers assisting its operations around the globe.

The Canadian Red Cross Society is part of the largest humanitarian network in the world, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. This network includes the International Committee of the Red Cross

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2015 JAN-FEB-MARCH

Learn, Practice and Taste the Delicious Meals From Turkish Cuisine at IDI’s Cooking Classes

Cooking classes are being offered to those who like to experience the taste of Turkish cuisine.

We experience how the ingredients come together and become a tasty meal. Everyone feel the centuries old culture and hospitality of Turkish family.

We were able to put our own effort to get the skill of making ingredients dance together and put them in a perfect shape and taste harmoniously. We discovered the tricks of cooking perfect meal from experienced cooks. Which spice goes best with which meal and how long we should cook to get the best taste

while we are not destroying the vitamins that so many kinds of vegetables offers to us.

Oh well, the best part of course when we observe how the ingredients became a perfect meal we had a chance to taste them.

It is also such a self-confidence course too for some who things they can never cook. When you taste something that your own effort involves makes you believe that you can cook tasty meal too.

Perfect meal, delicious desert and unforgettable time. Come and join us for informative and joyful time.

Stuffed Grape For 12 servings 1. 2 cups raw white rice 2. 1 large chopped onion 3. -½ cup chopped parsley 4. ¾ cup fresh lemon juice. 5. 1 t. spoon tomato paste 6. 1 cup olive oil. 7. 1 teaspoon black pepper 8. 1 teaspoon salt 9. 60 grape leaves drained and rinsed. 10. 1 head garlic

Cook onions and oil over medium heat until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add mashed garlic along with tomato, lemon juice, tomato paste, and salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the rice. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool down at room temperature. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add 1 tablespoon of the rice to the middle of the grape leaf. Fold the sides over the rice and roll the leaf into a small log shape. Place them into baking dish. When finishes cover them and bake them for 1 hour. Serve them cool.

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2015 JAN-FEB-MARCH

Intercultural Study Tours to Turkiye

Building Bridges IDI Edmonton has been organizing several intercultural trips to Turkey every summer. These study tours are designed and organizes to strengthen existing relations with tour participants and build bridges between communities, organizations and cultures.

Cultural Richness These series of interfaith trips to Turkey are parts of the effort to share the cultural richness of this beautiful country with the community we serve. The trips help discover the historical, cultural and natural beauties of Turkey, a living example of the harmony of various faiths for centuries.

Great Success

IDI strives to make study tours a success, with participants as tour delegates, in cooperation with Turkey’s participating cities, community and business representatives, families and NGO’s.

Many things to Discover

Participants have the opportunity to meet and interact with the different sections of Turkish society acting as our hosts: individuals, business people, cultural religious representatives, educational institutions and officials in the designated cities.

2010 Study Tour Group in Cappadocia

Ephesus, Izmir

Goreme, Open Air Museum in Cappadocia

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2015 JAN-FEB-MARCH

Turkish-Canadian Organization Hosts Dinners To Build Community Outside the Bubble.

One Wednesday night in August, I drove to a home in northwest Edmonton that I’d never been to before and sat down for dinner with a group of five strangers.

As a reporter, it’s not unusual to knock on strangers’ doors and ask them questions, but it isn’t the norm to be warmly welcomed in for a multi-course meal.

The Intercultural Dialogue Institute of Edmonton, a Turkish-Canadian organization with 11 chapters across the country, is trying to foster community by bringing people together from different cultural, social and religious backgrounds for a feast at a local Turkish family’s home.

The initiative is called Meet Your Neighbours and is held about two or three times a month, depending on demand.

Mehmet Ozcan, who hosted the dinner I attended with his wife Aysegul Ozcan, said he believes it’s important for people to see one another in their natural environment to better understand them and how they live. They had also invited three Turkish friends, Ibrahim Cin, the executive director of IDI Edmonton and his wife Sevgi Cin, and Semra Gur, a self-professed Turkish coffee fanatic who helps organize events with IDI’s women’s group.

“We may have different language and religion, but at the end, we’re all human. Difference gives you richness. We must share our differences. If you don’t come and talk, there may be fear,” Mehmet said.

We gathered around a table laden with food and

were urged to dig in. Our plates were quickly loaded with delicacies, including rice-and-onion-stuffed grape leaves called sarma; dumplings stuffed with spiced beef in a yogurt sauce called manti; and fried croquettes stuffed with bulgar and ground beef called icli kofte.

The women had made most of the food from scratch. It was clear they’d been preparing for hours. As I asked what each of the items was called and what was in them, the ladies joked that the answer is always the same. “Everything is stuffed with ground beef.”

It was just the beginning of a lively night of laughter, food and conversation that delivered on its promise of being an engaging cross-cultural experience. I learned how to make traditional Turkish coffee (don’t boil too much and make sure the foam is evenly distributed in all cups). And I learned how my hosts had carved out a place for themselves in Edmonton, where both their children were born.

Mehmet and Aysegul met and fell in love in Hamilton 11 years ago and moved to Edmonton in 2006. Aysegul began studying science at MacEwan University and then switched into education with a focus on mathematics at the University of Alberta three years ago. When we met, she had just finished a practicum at an elementary school in St. Albert.

Back in Turkey, Mehmet worked as a linguistics teacher and a shopkeeper at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest covered markets in the world that attracts up to 400,000 visitors a day. Knowing 5 languages came in handy. Now he works

BY OTIENA ELLWAND, EDMONTON JOURNAL

“If I had a job offer in Fort McMurray, I would think a lot about it because of the environment, and friends we have here. In that sense, I feel Edmonton is home,” Mehmet said.

After dinner and coffee, dessert was served: a bowl of rich vanilla pudding garnished with walnuts and sugar and a side of baklava.

“If you eat a lot it means you feel comfortable,” I was told. My stomach was ready to burst, but it wasn’t over yet. There was still sweet black tea to be enjoyed, a tradition that couldn’t be missed.

“This is a way to learn about Turkish culture and vice-versa. It’s a way to get rid of prejudice,” Cin said. “We don’t want to live in a Turkish ghetto. We want a sense of belonging in our city, to live just like others and give back to the community.”

By the end of the evening, we were becoming friends in person and online. Our Twitter and Instagram handles were shared; a picture had already been posted of our first Turkish tea.

For more information about Meet Your Neighbours, visit edmonton.interculturaldialog.com or follow on Twitter at IDIEdmonton.

oellwand@edmontonjournal.com

Building Bridges JAN-FEB-MARCH 2015

Edmonton Journal reporter Otiena Ellwand smells the still

brewing Turkish Tea

Turkish Tea is served at the end of the dinner.

Semra Gur serves Turkish Coffee at the end of the dinner.

Turkish Tea is being served.

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JAN-FEB-MARCH 2015

SEMINAR Alberta’s Economy with Changing World Oil Prices. TCCC and IDI Edmonton organized a Seminar on March 4th evening at Nebula Academy building. The event was a great success. Many people from all walks of life attended the seminar. Program started with a welcoming speech by Mr. Burak Koban, Coordinator of TCCC Edmonton. Keynote speaker was Mr. Steve Young MLA for Edmonton Riverview and following his speech Senator Grant Mitchell also shared his thoughts on the topic. Senator stated that he congratulates IDI and TCCC for putting this event together, because it is very important to brainstorm about strong Alberta’s economy. Mr. Young also did detailed presentation about Alberta’s economy at many aspects. Participants had a chance to ask questions during Q&A session.

MLA Steve Young, TCCC Coordinator Burak Koban and Senator Grant Mitchell

Burak Koban, TCCC Coordinator during his welcoming speech

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Muttart Conservatory celebrated Tulip Festival with a big event on March 8th in partnership with Intercultural Dialogue Institute Edmonton and Anatolian Cultural Centre. Record breaking attendance achieved from 10 to 4 pm. Over 700 people from all walks of life visit Muttart Conservatory to join the celebration and also to enjoy the Turkish Delight Pyramid exhibit.

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JAN-FEB-MARCH 2015

Kyrgyz Association in Alberta also attended to the Tulip Festival celebration with their wonderful exhibition and outfits. Saule Ashimova Kyrgyz Dancer was also attended to represent Kyrgyz Association at Tulip Festival. Her performance was a great experience for event participants. She performed Kyrgyz dance with gymnastics elements.

JAN-FEB-MARCH 2015

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Kyrgyz Association exhibition desks Saule Ashimova during her performance.

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At Muttart Conservatory, participants were able to taste Turkish coffee and Turkish tea while enjoying many kinds of embroideries. IDI Edmonton and Anatolian Cultural Centre woman’s division worked hard to make the event happen. Special thanks to our Saz (Turkish Instrument) performer Mr. Orhan Benli and Ney (Reed Flute) performer Mr. Tosun for their great work during the event.

Turkish Tea and Coffee served at the Tulip Festival

Mr. Orhan Benli during his Saz Performance Mr. Tosun during his Ney Performance

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Violinist Etelka Nyilasi during her show