“Have a seat.”
On Wednesday, May 27, three simple words commonly used as a gesture of hospitality became a statement of solidarity.
During my interview with Fleur Bakker, the company founder and visionary behind the event, she revealed her longstanding belief in food as a vehicle for connection. In response to the tensions and attacks on asylum seeker shelters, she expressed a desire to change the narrative by providing a positive example of community engagement. Over the past several years, with the support of her team, she has established two restaurants and five community cafes, employing 110 employees—60-70% of whom have a refugee background.
Last year, when she hosted the annual hospitality dinner, it was held indoors, capping attendance at 250 people. This year, she gave herself permission to dream bigger. This vision was measured as much in impact as it was in meters. Food representing various nationalities traveled across De Langste Tafel (The Longest Table), culminating to an impressive 907 meters—just shy of Bakker’s 1,000-meter goal.
Some 1,500 people of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences gathered along the Oosterdok waterfront, joining in conversation, music, and laughter. It offered a glimpse of an ideal—not to be mistaken for a perfect—version of humanity: one where we do not retreat from difference out of fear or discomfort, but instead thoughtfully engage in the practice of self-education and social progress. Twice that evening, I heard guests recite a popular saying that aptly captured the spirit of the event: "When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence."
In my work through Roots + Rivers Collective, I am constantly thinking about how to create solutions that last and conversations that continue. At the dinner, my conversation partner, Caroline Siebbeles, briefly shared her journey in social advocacy and by the last bite of dessert (or so I thought), I realized we had just scratched the surface of some important topics. Before leaning in for my second serving of tiramisu, I suggested we continue our discussion over the weekend. Below is a video interview of us sitting side-by-side, unpacking identity, injustice, and the need for hope and balance to continue building toward change. I trust that sharing this conversation demonstrates how people can engage in constructive dialogue across differences.