Dutch-Turkish students break fast together in Rotterdam with mixed grill and viral fruit cakes

Whether to break their fast or to seek a sense of community, around two hundred students from Turkish student associations in the Netherlands and Belgium gathered for a Grand Iftar in restaurant Dakpark in Rotterdam on Wednesday.

Music plays softly in the background as the large venue, decorated with pink flowers, fills quickly. Some students warmly greet each other with hugs and stop for photos. Others arrive quietly and take their seats at the long tables in the warm light of the setting sun. Catering staff pass through with plates of food in a rush, just before the sun completely sets.

Board members from five Turkish student associations around the Netherlands and Belgium give short speeches, expressing gratitude for attendees and emphasing the significance of building connections. As the sun sets, the room listens to the imam’s Quran recitation before the iftar starts.

According to event manager Azra Kütük, the Grand Iftar was organised to give Turkish students a shared place to experience Ramadan together. “It helps you feel at home and come together with people who share a similar Turkish cultural background and values of hospitality and mutual support”, said Azra.

Reconnecting

The idea for the event did not start as a Ramadan initiative, the vice chairman, Musa Aykut, explained. At the beginning of the year, Mozaik aimed to reconnect with Turkish student associations scattered around the Netherlands and Belgium and explored ways to collaborate. The Grand Iftar was co-organised with Anatolia Student Association as part of this effort.“We met with other boards, and we decided to organise a Ramadan iftar together”, he noted. “It felt like a natural choice to connect with people while sharing food.”

Mozaik president Zeynep Kılıç said the goal was to strengthen ties between associations with a shared background. “We want to see each other as sister associations. No competition, more connection”, she explained. They aim to support one another rather than operate separately.  “There simply had not been much structural contact between the Dutch-Turkish student associations in different cities”, she added.

The event was meant to give students the opportunity to meet and become aware of student associations beyond their own city.

Rotterdam as a central hub

Rotterdam was chosen as the location for practical reasons. Organisers looked at several locations but wanted a ‘middle’ point that would be manageable for everyone. “In the end, we came to the conclusion that Rotterdam would be the best fit”, said Zeynep. The city made the most sense with associations travelling from Amsterdam, Zwolle, Leiden, and Leuven.

The choice of Dakpark restaurant was also largely practical. Musa wanted the evening to stay affordable, while still offering a well-organised event. “The owners of Dakpark restaurant are Turkish and they helped us to have a Turkish menu, including lentil soup, mixed grill, pilaf, baklava, and ‘viral’ fruit cakes”, he said. “They are well known within the student association network.”

‘It’s not only about fasting’

Mustafa Avci, an IT student from Almelo, attended mostly out of curiosity. “I haven’t been to an event as big as this one before,” he said. “It isn’t only for fasting, but also about meeting others.” He described the atmosphere as different from iftar at home. “At home it’s just a normal dinner. Here, it’s the new people that make it special”, Mustafa said.

For Ahmed, a Philosophy student in Rotterdam, the evening made fasting feel easier. “If you’re busy and have something to look forward to, the day goes faster”, he said. The sense of familiarity and coziness made the evening stand out to him. “It was fun to see many familiar faces”, Ahmed said. “Seeing people greet each other and enjoy the evening together fits very well with the idea of Ramadan.”

Beyond the Netherlands

Not all attendees were from the Netherlands. Nazli Polat, a law student at KU Leuven travelled to Rotterdam to maintain the connection with SV Mozaik, a friendship that began with a message on Instagram, and to meet new people. Her visit will be reciprocated, as SV Mozaik plans to visit Leuven as well. “In Leuven, there aren’t many Turkish students”, she said. “Coming here and seeing so many people with the same background makes you feel connected to your culture.”

Irem Kose, another student from KU Leuven joined the evening to support friends, even though she was not fasting herself. She described the event as ‘inspiring’. “Sharing a piece of bread with people you don’t know feels just like family”, she said.