Third Annual Taste Around the World Event Celebrates Abbotsford’s Cultural Diversity Through Food and Community
On Saturday, June 27, more than 250 community members gathered to enjoy a variety of cultural foods at the third annual Taste Around the World event.
Hosted by Archway Community Services’ Food Justice program in collaboration with local community partners, this multicultural food-sharing event celebrated the rich cultural diversity within Abbotsford and brought community members together through the sharing of traditional recipes, stories, and cultural experiences.
The goal of organizers was to use the transformative power of a shared meal to foster relationships and social cohesion across boundaries of age, class, culture, and language, while drawing attention to the importance of ensuring all community members have equitable access to culturally preferred foods that support a sense of belonging, identity, and connection.
This year, four volunteer cooking teams representing Saudi Arabia, Okinawa, India, and Ukraine prepared traditional dishes for attendees to sample.
The event was opened by Mayor Ross Siemens, and each cooking team had the opportunity to share a little about their dish and culture. Attendees also received a “food passport,” which encouraged them to sample all the featured dishes throughout the event.
Those dishes included Goya Chanpuru from Okinawa, a stir-fry made with bitter melon, tofu, and egg; Verenyky from Ukraine, traditional dumplings filled with either strawberry or potato and onion; Pakoras from India, crispy vegetable fritters; and Formoza from Saudi Arabia, a savoury spiced meat pastry.
The event also embodied the theme of Culture, one of the core values identified in the newly formed Abbotsford Food Charter. By bringing people together around a shared meal, it celebrated the rich cultural diversity that makes Abbotsford vibrant while fostering connection, understanding, and community belonging.
Volunteer cooking teams speaking about their dishes.
“Food has a unique ability to bring people together,” shared Vicki Lin, Food Justice Supervisor.
“Events like these strengthen the social fabric of our community and remind us of all that we have in common.”
“This event was special as it brought our community together to celebrate, learn, and share a common culinary experience. Food connects us all.” shared Stefania Pizzirani, Associate Director, UFV’s Food and Agriculture Institute.
Volunteer cooks preparing food.
In addition to the food samples, attendees had the opportunity to explore booths featuring local organizations and community resources. Participating exhibitors included Clearbrook Library, UFV’s Food and Agriculture Institute, Tourism Abbotsford, Diversity Education’s Human Dignity Coalition and Local Immigration Partnership, local authors showcasing multicultural-themed books, and Archway’s Food Justice Program.
Organizers thanked the City of Abbotsford’s Culture City Program Series for funding the event, as well as United Way British Columbia for supporting Archway’s Food Justice Program through its Regional Community Food Hubs Initiative.
Organizers also extended a special thank you to The Gathering Church for providing volunteer cooks with space to prepare the food, Abbotsford Community Foundation’s contribution of event materials, and Clearbrook Library for providing the space to make this event possible.