By Isabel Ovalle
The International Ladies Potluck Group is celebrating its ninth anniversary this week with an event focused on Sri Lanka.
The group, which gathers women of different nationalities, was founded on April 28, 2004 thanks to one seed: potluck, a meal or party to which each of the guests contributes a dish. Initially, the women used to get together at the home of Hasnah Jumat McCauley, the founder. As the group grew, having up to 360 members from 80 countries at one point, the meetings moved to the club house at Al Jazi Garden 4.
Brunch meetings are held once every two months at the Al Jazi Gardens compound and Al Nouf Garden, West Bay.
The group is about making new friends from different countries and learning about each other’s country and culture. The ladies bring a small dish typical of their country for tasting. Members take turns hosting meetings, which entail showcasing their country by giving a brief presentation, sometimes a traditional show, along with a handicrafts display and souvenir sale. The ladies also do beauty-related events and medical presentations for women.
To mark its ninth anniversary, the group will host an event on April 17 featuring Sri Lankan cuisine and culture. The Deputy Chief of Mission of the Sri Lankan Embassy will be guest of honour at the celebration, which will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm.
McCauley, the group’s founder, currently lives in Nigeria but will attend the event this Wednesday.
Shriani Burley, organiser of the anniversary festivities, joined the group a few years ago. “I read about the group in Marhaba magazine and contacted Hasnah because I didn’t know anybody in Doha. Right away I started going to events,” she said.
On Wednesday, the commemoration will begin with a traditional Sri Lankan lamp lighting ceremony, which will be followed by a talk about the Sri Lankan New Year, which begins today. There will be a sampling event with Sri Lankan food, and a presentation by Sri Lankan Airlines that will showcase the country’s natural beauty and tourist attractions. There will also be a lucky draw for a plane ticket.
Ladies who are interested in joining can attend one of the events or get in touch with group members. The president of the group is Ruth Serene Sabry, from the Philippines. The group aims to provide a platform for ladies to interact and make friends while showcasing the food, culture, traditions and arts of their home countries.
“When we get together, each of us brings a dish from their homeland, so I have tried food from dozens of countries. For the anniversary, we decided to have a buffet; imagine having 140 people bringing different dishes,” joked the organiser.
The meetings also enable those attending to learn more about Qatar. The group also hosts charity events to help those in need.
Like in any organisation with a large number of members, the ladies have learned to delegate and distribute responsibilities among themselves and the group works like a well-oiled machine. The members also hold bazaars, showcase their own handicrafts and artisanal products, and, above all, nourish their friendship and learn all types of things from each other.The Peninsula
