On Thursday evening 15 September, students from the department of International Facility Management (IFM) in cooperation with Resto VanHarte organized an evening with the theme Eid ul-Fitr, commonly known as ‘Suikerfeest’ in Dutch. This festivity marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting in Islam religion. Freshmen IFM students were given the task to prepare a full evening for the guests that would include several traditional dishes and a variety of national activities originated from the countries: Marocco, Indonesia, Surinam and Turkey.

To complete the evening, the interior had to fit the theme Eid ul-Fitr as well. This event was held in the light of Resto VanHarte’s mission bringing people together in the newly opened establishment, the Floreshuis. Guests entered a Resto VanHarte that had been filled with the warm sounds and the lovely aromas from the Far East. Whilst enjoying their dinner, guests joined in with the multicultural quiz and admired the belly dancer’s performance. Once the Turkish polonaise started, the audience leaped off their chairs to join in, the air filled with clapping and laughter, this made the evening even more special.

The presence of students was well received: Students are hardly ever present and it would be nice to see them at these events more often. The seating arrangement at each table was a mix of students and guests, an enjoyable experience where each party got to know more about one another. In the words of location manager and IFM alumnus, Mirjam Bouman: For many people that were present tonight, participants as well as guests, it was an evening they hadn’t experienced before, both the seating arrangement at the tables and Eid ul-Fitr itself.