Coffee and tea bring cultures together

At the International Coffee and Tea Festival on Wednesday 23 September, the canteen on Benölkenplatz became a meeting place for people from different cultures. As part of Intercultural Week, cultural associations from Bocholt presented traditional tea and coffee specialities, provided information about their origins and preparation, and engaged in conversation with the guests.

The selection of drinks available to sample at the international coffee and tea festival ranged from Afghan Chaye SIA and Syrian Ahoa to British Tetleys Tea, Eastern European kompot and Eritrean coffee. To complement this, the participating associations and groups offered a variety of traditional dishes and treats from their respective countries.

Those taking part included the Afghan Hazara German Community Bocholt e.V., the German-British Society, the German-Syrian Association, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Bocholt, EWIBO, the Eritrean Cultural Association, as well as the RUCH German-Ukrainian Community, the Coptic Association and the German-Somali and Lebanese Aid and Development Associations, which are currently being established.

It wasn't just about tasting. The participants explained how the respective drinks are traditionally prepared, what significance they hold in their countries of origin, and on what occasions they are drunk. This created numerous opportunities for conversation at the individual stalls. It was precisely these encounters that were at the heart of the event. Over coffee, tea and light refreshments, people from different backgrounds struck up conversations, exchanged experiences and learnt about cultural traditions.

"In many cultures, coffee and tea are an integral part of socialising and hospitality. The festival shows just how easily this can lead to new conversations and connections", explains Bruno Wansing, co-organiser of Intercultural Week and the City of Bocholt's Integration Officer, "when people strike up a conversation and learn about each other's traditions, they quickly discover things they have in common. That is precisely what Intercultural Week is all about."