Category Archive

IDI

IDI Summer Picnic

IDI August 3, 2024

A vibrant summer picnic brought together members of IDI, ATIC, and Parkland United Church on August 3rd, 2024. The sunny afternoon provided the perfect backdrop for a day of camaraderie, delicious food, and fun activities.
Attendees gathered at Edworthy Park to enjoy a picnic spread filled with grilled burgers, fresh salads, and homemade desserts. While savouring the delicious meal, participants engaged in lively conversations and laughter.
In addition to the culinary delights, the event featured a variety of group games and activities. These interactive experiences fostered a sense of community and provided opportunities for participants to connect on a deeper level.
Laura Holck, Social Justice Chair of the Parkland United Church, expressed her gratitude for the turnout and the positive atmosphere of the picnic. “It was wonderful to see so many people come together and enjoy a day of fellowship,” she said.
Irfan Gulsu, President of Anatolian Turkish Islamic Centre (ATIC) Calgary, echoed Holck’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of such events in building bridges between communities. “The picnic was a fantastic opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds to come together and celebrate our shared humanity,” Gulsu stated.
The summer picnic was a resounding success, leaving attendees with lasting memories and a renewed sense of community. Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) Calgary look forward to hosting similar events in the future.

Interfaith Dialogue Dinner

IDI June 13, 2024

A Night of Connection and Understanding

Date: June 13, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM
Venue: IDI Community Center

Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) hosted a memorable Interfaith Dialogue Dinner at the IDI Community Center. The event brought together 12 families—6 from Laura Holck’s guests and 6 from the Hizmet Movement. The gathering fostered an atmosphere of warmth and openness, where participants had the chance to engage in meaningful conversation around shared values and experiences.

The evening was designed to promote mutual understanding between people of different faiths. As part of the program, each table was given thought-provoking prompts such as, “How do you know me as a Christian & Muslim?” This allowed guests to reflect on their perspectives and listen to others’ experiences in a respectful, open dialogue.

The attendees enjoyed a delicious meal, generously sponsored, which added to the sense of community and hospitality.

Laura Holck, the Social Justice Chair of the Parkland United Church, and Malik Muradov, a Muslim chaplain, delivered inspiring welcome speeches. Both emphasized the purpose of the evening—building bridges between communities, celebrating diversity, and fostering an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

It was a truly enriching evening where new friendships were formed, and participants left with a deeper appreciation for one another’s beliefs and traditions. Events like these are a testament to the power of dialogue in bridging divides and creating a more harmonious society.

Noah’s Pudding Program

IDI October 4, 2019

We know that Noah’s pudding is tastier when we share. We shared it with our friends in a mosque with Muslims, in a church with Christians and with our neighbours all around Calgary .Noah’s pudding symbolizes the mixture of people from different cultures, understanding and identities all bringing their own flavour to the atmosphere without losing their own characteristics. We would like to extend our thanks to the cook of this delicious dessert, Chef. Mahmut Elbasi, the owner of Anatolian Turkish Restaurant in Calgary.

Women Talking Event

IDI March 16, 2019

On the occasion of Women’s Day, IDI organized an amazing event on March 16, 2019. The event featured speeches, Indigenous singing, and a special readers’ theatre project called Women Talking. The program was open to women, men, and youth alike.

Thanks to events like this, our sisterhood and passion for creating a meaningful, strong, and peaceful Calgary will continue to thrive. IDI had the pleasure of hosting a beautiful afternoon filled with inspiring Indigenous singing, informative speeches, live music, and a readers’ theatre portraying the lives of eight women with incredible stories. Thank you to everyone who contributed to organizing this event, and to all the guests who attended.

Role of Women in Abrahamic Religions

IDI January 24, 2019

January 24 was an evening of interfaith celebration and learning! It was a night dedicated to honouring and respecting individuals’ commitments to their religious beliefs. IDI’s Interfaith Committee brought together people of different faiths to engage in dialogue and collaborate on our commonalities, which far outweigh our differences.

The topic, ‘Role of Women in Abrahamic Religions,’ was thoughtfully presented by all three panellists, followed by a lively Q&A session. A heartfelt thank you to Rabbi Glickman, Pastor Hesslein, and Imam Soharwardy for their genuine acts of friendship and respect.

A Culinary Journey

IDI November 11, 2018

Another successful event at IDI Calgary! Guests were taken on a journey through Turkish culture and cuisine, preparing four delicious dishes, including classics from the historical Ottoman cuisine and favorites from traditional Turkish homes. Stay tuned for the next culinary adventure!

Alberta Culture Days 2018

IDI October 4, 2018

Beauty and Strength in Diversity

Culture is a strong part of people’s lives. It influences their views, their values, their humor, their hopes, their loyalties, and their worries and fears. When you are working with people and building relationships with them, it helps to have perspective and understanding of their cultures.
Cultural celebrations foster respect and open-mindedness for other cultures. Celebrating our differences, as well as our common interests, helps unite and educate us. We need to understand and learn to appreciate other cultures.

So, what better way to do this than having a festival!!
On the last weekend of September, the Burc Intercultural Centre in partnership with the government of Alberta organized a 2 day event filled with multicultural showcases, dance performances, live music, cultural food, and much more. In total seven communities attended and showcased their culture. A big thank you to the Russian, Bangladeshi, Malaysian-Singaporean -Bruneian, Uzbek, Turkish, South Sudanese, and the Calgary Indigenous communities for attending. We deeply appreciate all your efforts in making this event possible. Every single community is truly an asset to Calgary!

Alberta culture days 2019

IDI October 2, 2018

 

Alberta Culture Days is an opportunity to discover, experience and celebrate arts and culture through local events and activities across the province.

Burc Intercultural Centre and Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) Calgary chapter hosted an magnificent event with the support of Alberta Government to celebrate the cultural richness that we have here in Alberta.

Cultural dances, unique foods and information sessions of nine countries were shown to the audience by the performers.

Cultural Minister of Government of Alberta Mrs. Leela Aheer was also one of the viewers and performers by her guitar. IDI’s celebration was selected as one of the five featured celebration sites for Alberta Culture Days-2019 from 87 different celebrations by the Government of Alberta.

With almost 500 participants in the Alberta Culture Days- 2019 celebrations, BURC Intercultural Centre and IDI did a great job by building bridges between various ethnic communities and played a vital role to emphasize the importance of Art of living together with harmony and acceptance.

Alberta Culture Days helps achieve the goals of our cultural policy, The Spirit of Alberta