The Melting Pot Luck is a community group which brings residents of Direct Provision and local community members together with intercultural ‘potluck’ dinners and events. The group is made up of local people, immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees who all share a love of learning about other cultures, food and music.
A group of locals and residents of Direct Provision started this group in April 2017 to create a welcoming space where asylum seekers and other newcomers in Galway can have a chance to meet with local people and celebrate each other’s cultures. In 2017 and 2018 they hosted 6 intercultural ‘potluck’ dinners with members of the local community and residents of the two Direct Provision centres in Galway.
They provide space and ingredients for residents of Direct Provision to cook dishes from their own country to share at their events. Local people also bring food and they enjoy music and dance together. Participants of their events benefit from learning about other cultures, and developing connections with new people.
In addition to the ‘potluck’ dinners members of their committee have set up a smaller cooking club with residents at the Eglinton centre and the Great Western hostel, so that people can cook food from their own countries to feed their families and share with their friends.