Join us for an afternoon of hands-on learning and tastings. Explore the rich history and significance of cherished dishes from Iraq and Ukraine, and celebrate the art of traditional cuisine.

Hosted at the Ukrainian American Community Center in Minneapolis, MN, this in-person event promises an immersive experience like no other. Discover the unique spices, ingredients, and cooking techniques that make Iraqi and Ukrainian cuisine so special.

Whether you're a food enthusiast or simply curious about different cultures, this event is a must-attend. Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere, learn from talented cooks, and savor the unforgettable flavors of Dolma and Hrechanyky.

Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to expand your culinary horizons and connect with people who share your passion for food and culture. Mark your calendars and get ready for a tantalizing adventure!

Sign up down below: tickets $ 5.00 and children under 10 are free:

Dolma & Hrechanyky -A Culinary Exploration of Iraq & Ukraine Tickets, Sat, Feb 17, 2024 at 1:00 PM | Eventbrite

This event is made possible by the generous support of the Laura Jane Musser Fund.

Join us Thursday, February 1 for a conversation with Iraqi Canadian artist asmaa al-issa, exploring cultural heritage through artistic practice.

The conversation between asmaa and Shaymaa Khalil, Director of IARP, begins at 6 p.m. at Open Book's Performance Hall. This will be followed by an intimate reception with Iraqi tea and sweets running from 7 – 7:45 p.m.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
asmaa al-issa (b. Baghdad, Iraq) cultivates an art practice that responds to her lived experiences and interactions with the land, materials, and people around her. asmaa’s practice as an artist and educator focuses on nurturing creativity while building cross-cultural alliances.
asmaa’s formal education includes a BFA in Visual Arts from the University of Calgary, CA (2013) and a MFA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, CA (2017). asmaa was a fellow & instructor at the Painting & Printmaking Department at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (2018 – 2019), an artist in residence at Studio Kura in Itoshima, JP (2019), and Manarat Al Saadiyat Art Studio in Abu Dhabi, UAE (2022). Her artwork has been exhibited across Canada, in Spain, Japan, and Qatar. asmaa’s artistic practice has been supported by her family, Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and Calgary Arts Development.

This event is presented by the Iraqi American Reconciliation Project.

This event is part of programming for the exhibition "Today, Tomorrow" on view at Anderson Center from February 3 - April 20, 2024. The virtual exhibition is available at today-tomorrow.org.

This engagement is supported by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is supported by the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Join us for a FREE cultural celebration, bidding farewell to the warm months with a celebration of the rich Iraqi and Afghan traditions of spring and summer. Members of the Iraqi and Afghan communities in the Twin Cities are coming together to create an event filled with music, delectable cuisine, and engaging activities for all ages. Don't miss this opportunity to create lasting memories and connections. Come, be a part of our September gathering, Celebrating the Tapestry of Spring and Summer! 

This event is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Laura Jane Musser Fund.

About the Afghan Cultural Society: Our mission is to advocate for and empower our communities through a range of services, including assisting in improving mental and social health, promoting economic self-sufficiency, and creating a space for cultural well-being.

About IARP: Founded in 2007, the Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project is a nonprofit located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that builds bridges of communication, understanding, and support between Iraqis and Americans after decades of sanctions, war, and occupation.

Join us as we celebrate Minneapolis Sister Cities with a FREE Ice Cream Social & gathering at the Nicollet Island Pavilion, Minneapolis. This family event features international entertainment, ice cream and refreshments. The event highlights all of Minneapolis’ International Sister Cities, with a special spotlight this year on the 50th anniversaries of our sister cities of Winnipeg, Canada and Kuopio, Finland.

Sunday, July 16, 2023
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Nicollet Island Pavilion
40 Power Street, Minneapolis
FREE and open to the public

This free celebration of culture and life brings Minnesotans together to recognize and uplift the diverse gifts that refugees bring to our state. Event-goers enjoy free live entertainment, food and vendors from around the world, children’s activities, a community resource fair, and interactive educational displays.

IARP will be presenting the work of local Iraqi artisans a live painting by teen artist Lina Al-Ashrafee! Lina Al-Ashtafee has been meeting with artist and muralist Allegra Lockstadt once a week since last year. They have been exploring color, technique, and inspirations. We are honored to have Lina's painting come to life in front of our eyes as she shares what about her Iraqi Heritage makes her smile with us!

Live performances from:
Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Ensemble; Seev Cev Hmong Line Dance; Yaba Gobana; AfroContigbo; Isabella Lopez; Chico Chavez Orchestra; Banchi Abate; and more!

Food truck vendors:
FatHouse QabMib; LuviFood; Taco Libre;
MN Nice Cream; and more!

Presented by CAPI USA, in partnership with the City of Brooklyn Center!

Sponsored by:
Minneapolis Northwest
Minnesota State Arts Board
Minnesota Humanities Center
Hennepin Health
UCare

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

This work is funded in part by the Minnesota Humanities Center with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Join us for a celebration of the power of women’s expression through poetry and creative dialogue. 

This event will showcase the work of incredible Iraqi and American artists and women creating and creating with each other. The program will feature a reading by renowned poet Dunya Mikhail; an exchange between poets Jennifer Jean and Hanna Mohammed titled "Where do you live?" with visual responses from fellow Her Story Is artists; a dramatic reading of "No More Seagulls" by playwright Amy Merrill based on the writings of Elham Al-Zabaidy; an exchange between writers Letta Neely and Thawra Yaqoub Mohhamed titled "Me and Kunta Kinte"; and an original animated short film, "Once I Was There" based on a poem by Elham Al-Zabaidy about the climate crisis in Iraq.

We Are Clouds is a free event and open to the public. A reception of Iraqi tea and sweets will follow. This event will be accessible in American Sign Language through a live interpreter. 

On view in the Open Book atrium is a collection of letterpress-printed broadsides, artists’ books, and prints from the Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here collection, created by a coalition of international artists and writers expressing solidarity with Iraqi booksellers, writers, and readers following the car bomb attack on Al-Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad in 2007, promoting awareness of the power of the written word and arts in support of the free expression of ideas and the preservation of cultural spaces.

This engagement is supported by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from Minnesota State Arts Board.
This activity is also made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Artist Bios:

Dunya Mikhail is an Iraqi American poet and writer. She has received fellowships from the United States Artists, the Guggenheim, and Kresge. Her honors also include the Arab American Book Award, and UN Human Rights Award for Freedom of Writing. Her book The War Works Hard was shortlisted for International Griffin Poetry Prize. New Directions published three of her other poetry books and her non-fiction The Beekeeper which was a finalist for the National Book Award and for PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award. Her debut novel The Bird Tattoo, shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, is coming out on December 6, 2022 from Pegasus. She currently works as a special lecturer of Arabic at Oakland University in Michigan.

Her Story Is is a collective of independent women writers and artists from the United States and Iraq who collaborate on projects aimed at expanding linguistic, artistic, and cultural boundaries in response to conflict and its aftermath, with a focus on centralizing the experience of women.

Her Story Is Members:

Elham Nasser Al-Zabeedy, Writer & visual artist

Amy Merril, Playwright/Producer

Anne Elizabeth Loyer, Producer, Visual artist, Theater artist

Jinan Al-Mohammed, Artist

Thawra Yaqoob, Writer

Letta Neely, Artist/ Writer

Hanaa Mohammed, Writer

Jennifer Jean, Poet, Translator, Educator

Nadia Alesi, Writer and Translator

Tamara Alateya, Writer and Translator

Abeer Abdulkareem, Translator

Thaira Almayahy, Artist

Angham Nasser, Visual Artist and Antagonist

Sou Ma Kaabia Kalthoum, Writer and Artist

Join Minneapolis-based curator and arts organizer Tricia Heuring, and the artists and translators of the Her Story Is collective in a conversation about creating shared spaces for the unfolding of artistic creation and collaboration. Explore the inspiration and process behind recent collaborative works, gain insight into the complex art of translation, and engage intimately with what it means to be in dialogue with one another in the aftermath of war and occupation.Her Story Is is a collective of independent women writers and artists from the United States and Iraq who collaborate on projects aimed at expanding linguistic, artistic, and cultural boundaries in response to conflict and its aftermath, with a focus on centralizing the experience of women.

Please use the registration link below:

https://eastsidefreedomlibrary.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/eastsidefreedomlibrary/eventRegistration.jsp?event=99&

This engagement is supported by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from Minnesota State Arts Board. This event is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Artist Panel and Gallery Viewing
Friday, October 7, 6 PM - 9 PM Central Time
Duluth Art Institute, St. Louis County Depot, Fourth Floor
506 W Michigan St. Duluth, MN 55802