Potluck, Popcorn and Peace

Faith In Action Ministry

Lidia Celebrates America, Flavors That Define Us
“For any immigrant, it is a personal choice as to what to bring and what new things to embrace. But we should always be proud of where we came from and not be afraid to share our culture.” ~ Lidia Bastianich

Join us for a gathering to celebrate World Peace Day with *World Table Potluck as we enjoy our feature film by Emmy-award winning TV host, Lidia Bastianich, as author, and restaurateur explores the immigrant experience through food in Lidia Celebrates America: Flavors That Define Us.

Common among this nation of 46 million immigrants is the fact that these individuals are often faced with the question of what it means to be an American. As America grows more diverse, immigrants must figure out how much of their culture to bring with them, and what to leave behind, and many are more openly sharing their heritage with a new country they now call home and are helping to define.

*POTLUCK: In the film, Lidia organizes a potluck-style meal, where immigrants share food that is meaningful to them. Lidia calls it, a ‘table of the world’. In the spirit of the film, we invite you to bring a dish that reflects your cultural heritage as we sit down at our table and celebrate peace. –Prepare a dish to share with 8 to 10 people that is meaningful for you, something from your heritage, ethnic traditions, culture.

–Please bring a place card that describes your dish (origin, history) as well as a list of ingredients to inform attendees of what makes up the body and taste, plus possible allergies and food sensitivities.

–And, if you want, also bring copies of the recipe to share with others.

Basic schedule (which may be adjusted)

Potluck, Popcorn and Peace Movie – World Peace Day Celebration

12:30 pm – sign-in/doors open.

12:45 pm – Potluck meal and refreshments

1:20 pm – Introductions, Prayer, Film(s) at 1:30.

2:45 pm – Dessert and Conversation

Immigrant Stories

A refugee/immigrant herself, Lidia Bastianich was born in 1947 in Istria, an Italian territory ceded to Yugoslavia after World War II. She spent the first years of her life under communist rule, then fled with her family across the border to Italy. There they lived in a refugee camp for two years until an aid organization helped bring them to New York in 1958. Lidia states, “I understand what it means to need help and the relief and satisfaction when people are helped. I understand the value of freedom and democracy, the freedom to speak one’s language and the freedom of worship. What I understand even more is the act of being grateful and giving back.”

In this film, Bastianich travels to both new and established immigrant communities, and shares stories of first, second, and third-generation Americans. She asks about their motivations, challenges, and experiences. She visits a Bhutan refugee who has built a new life in Ohio, Cuban immigrants feeding people in Kentucky, and Indian Americans creating businesses in California. In Texas, she meets Afghan refugees helping new arrivals, and second-generation Vietnamese American “MasterChef” season-three winner Christine Ha, who often mixes her Vietnamese heritage with Tex-Mex elements.

World Peace Day: Each year the International Day of Peace (IDP) is observed around the world on 21 September. The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. It is a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace; a call to action that recognizes our individual and collective responsibility to foster peace. 2023 is also the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Fee: $10 per person. Pre-registration required.

Commuter
Full price $10.00

Sign Up By Thursday, Sep 21 at 7:00pm
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