The Food Bridge vzw is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Flemish organization, Amarant vzw  based in Gent Belgium. Amarant’s work  is dedicated to making art and culture accessible and self-evident, even in places where this is less apparent. By providing a platform for social change and creating spaces for new perspectives, Amarant aligns with The Food Bridge’s belief that the stories we tell and the art we create are vital in helping us understand our world and connect with others. These narratives and artistic expressions can be through various forms, so must be inclusive and reflective of diverse experiences.

The Food Bridge and Amarant have in partnership developed some activities that will take place in Gent from now until December 2025.

1. Welcome to My Home

In this program, we explore the concept of feeling at home across different cultures, both as guests and hosts. We explore how people welcome guests into their homes under various circumstances and what factors influence these interactions. Are you formal, very friendly, or do you prefer not to have visitors at all?

Through an open call, we invite people to share how they receive guests in their homes. Do you schedule appointments in advance, greet guests at the front door, or is it acceptable for them to enter through the back door? Do you offer a cup of coffee, a glass of water, or start preparing food immediately? Are guests expected to remove their shoes, with slippers provided, or is it more of a "mi casa es tu casa" atmosphere?

The insights gathered from this call will be shared on our website and social media platforms. Feeling welcome can be a spontaneous experience, yet it is often laden with meaning. In today's world, feeling welcome everywhere is increasingly challenging. To address this, we are organizing an evening of discussion on this topic, preceded by a welcoming ceremony.

Reflective Actions in Our Program:

• Guided tours in various languages.
• A lecture on philosophy, focusing on the question, "What is a home?"

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We thank everyone who attended the 2024 Summer Conference on Decolonization, Diaspora, and the African Food System. Your participation made this event a remarkable success.

Our keynote speaker, Professor Adams Bodomo, set the tone with his compelling paper titled "Where is African Agency in the African Diaspora Food Systems?" Professor Bodomo highlighted the critical challenges of decolonizing African food systems without having Africans at the forefront to spearhead initiatives and business strategies that can enable them to control their market.

He emphasized that decolonization does not imply isolation but a demand for respect, collaborations with equal opportunities, and allowing Africans  the ability to set their own priorities. By comparing African diasporas in China and Europe, he also noted how residency dynamics influence Africans' ability to access or control their food markets.

In her welcoming remarks, Dr. Maureen Duru , the founder of the Food Bridge vzw stressed the importance of having open dialogues on difficult issues affecting African diasporas, even with those holding opposing views. She advocated for creating spaces for such discussions, especially in places Africans previously lacked access to. In her closing contributions she  emphasized that the future of food systems in Africa is indigenous, community-driven, and female.

The interactive breakout session, focusing on  "What Do You Understand by Decolonizing the African Food System?" was a highlight of the event, showcasing that people of all ages, education levels, professions, and backgrounds recognize the urgent need for a drastic change in the African food system. All the points raised during the session will be shared soon as part of the final report.

We were honored to have speakers from across the globe, including Nigeria, Ghana, Austria, South Africa, Jamaica, Brazil, Kenya, Germany, Austria, and Belgium. They enriched the conference with their diverse perspectives and research experiences from their countries of origin and also fieldworks in other countries like China, Portugal, Burundi, and Congo.

No discussion on African food would be complete without tasting it. Thanks to Banjul Kitchen and the African Queens, for providing delicious African dishes that added flavor to our event. A special thank you to Dr. Maureen Duru and Dr. Sarah O'Neill for organizing such an impactful event . Once again, we thank  all the speakers and participants for their  invaluable contributions. We look forward to continuing this vital dialogue and making meaningful progress together.