College students packed Parkes Corridor 122 for meals, music and dancing on the Center Japanese North African Scholar Affiliation’s Style of MENA occasion Saturday.
Attendees browsed cubicles that showcased snacks, drinks and objects from nations within the MENA area, as music conventional to the represented nations performed over audio system.
“A lot of times, Middle Eastern countries and North African countries are grouped together,” MENA co-President and McCormick junior Batool Salman stated. “This event really lets every country shine and show what is special about them.”
Salman stated the occasion reached full capability final 12 months — the primary time it was hosted. Regardless of a rise in tables this time, Salman stated the occasion nonetheless ran out of seating with about 150 attendees.
Organizers inspired attendees to decorate in cultural apparel. Throughout the occasion’s “Fashion Show,” sales space representatives walked across the perimeter of the room holding flags from their respective nations.
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“We have a lot of drip,” MENA co-President and SESP junior Mahmoud El-Eshmawi stated. “It’s just a matter of like, ‘Hey, this is another way of expressing our cultures.’”
Throughout Style of MENA’s trend present, attendees waved the flags of assorted nations from the MENA area.
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Because the occasion wound down, attendees voted for his or her favourite cubicles of the night time. Sudan’s desk received first place, adopted by Egypt’s and Iraq’s.
All through the night, college students lined up at Sudan’s sales space to attempt the hibiscus flower juice, a standard beverage in Sudan, McCormick first-year Muzan Abdulla stated.
“I’m happy everyone showed up,” she stated. “We’re all winners.”
Egypt’s sales space was embellished with CDs and movie posters, which El-Eshmawi stated represented the town’s standing because the area’s leisure hub. Soccer jerseys, together with that of Liverpool FC winger Mohamed Salah, lined the wall behind the sales space.
Earlier that day, El-Eshmawi stated he referred to as his mom asking for instructions and ingredient quantities to make Roz bil Laban, an Egyptian rice pudding. The dish was simply considered one of many objects he introduced from his house to the occasion.
“My apartment is hollow at the moment,” he stated.
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The sales space additionally provided macarona bechamel — which El-Eshmawi stated is his favourite dish — and sobia, a candy beverage.
Most sales space choices have been selfmade. SESP sophomore Lana Alnajm, who serves as MENA’s Related Scholar Authorities senator, stated her members of the family pitched in to assist make dishes for Iraq’s sales space.
One of many dishes the sales space provided was kibbeh, which Alnajm stated is made with rice, floor beef, parsley and varied spices.
“The homemade things are things you will often not find or see in any restaurant,” she stated.
For Alnajm, the occasion provided a strategy to characterize her tradition at Northwestern, particularly after not celebrating Arab Heritage Month in NU eating halls, she stated.
In April 2025, NU apologized for and condemned a efficiency held in Sargent Eating Corridor by an area Arab dance group, meant to have a good time Arab Heritage Month.
“This is kind of our way of taking that back and allowing the community to cultivate awareness about our culture, but also celebrate as well,” Alnajm stated.
MENA Advocacy committee member and Weinberg sophomore Ameera Hamadeh stated she hopes the occasion helps neighborhood members, particularly on NU’s campus, be taught extra about totally different cultures within the MENA area.
Hamadeh tabled at Palestine’s sales space, which had a keffiyeh draped round it to represent Palestinian resistance, she stated. Olive bushes additionally surrounded the sales space.
“At NU, we don’t get a lot of opportunities to demonstrate our culture in a positive light,” Hamadeh stated. “Being able to do that at Taste of MENA, and seeing how people have been so receptive and really supportive, makes me really happy and gives me hope for the future.”
El-Eshmawi stated the occasion’s turnout was encouraging, regardless of this solely being its second 12 months.
Attendees, coming from MENA and non-MENA backgrounds alike, had arrived at Parkes Corridor as much as quarter-hour early, he stated.
“Although it is important to shed light on the struggles that we’re facing, I think it’s just as important to celebrate the beautiful parts of the culture,” El-Eshmawi stated.
Associated Tales:
— MENA hosts Dabke dance workshop to fundraise Gaza help
— Memon and Tanious: A joint affinity area for Muslim and MENA college students raises critical questions concerning the erasure of identities
— Arab Expressions honors cultural heritage by means of poetry, track and conventional meals
