The Host
Sarah Burhan
Sarah Burhan is an independent consultant and researcher, specialising in conflict resolution, security, and policy development. She holds a BA in Private Law, a Master’s in Comparative Law, and a non-degree diploma in Global Affairs. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Security and Conflict Studies at Paris Nanterre University. Sarah has extensive experience working with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, providing analysis and strategic advice on governance and political processes. In her roles at the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) and the Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC), she has been actively involved in diplomacy, media engagement, and political negotiations. Committed to advancing research and policy initiatives, Sarah focuses on peace-building and security, particularly in the context of Syria.
English Transcription of the Trailer
Amani’s Story
The Taste of Afrin: Balancing Heritage and Resilience
Amani Zallouh shares her journey from Afrin to Türkiye, highlighting her deep bond with Kurdish heritage and the land. She recalls the hardships of war, food scarcity, and the struggle to provide for her family. In Türkiye, she faced poverty but remained determined to preserve her traditions. Family meals and generosity kept her spirit strong. Now, she dreams of returning to Syria and starting a dried food business to support her community.
Bisan’s Story
Blending Flavours and Generosity
Bisan Ammar shares her journey from Damascus to Türkiye, blending her culinary heritage with resilience. After fleeing war, she worked tirelessly to support her family, learning new cooking techniques and turning her skills into a business. She adapted to financial struggles by preparing and selling traditional dishes, preserving food, and ensuring her children’s education. Despite hardship, she remains determined to return to Syria and start her own food business. Her story is one of perseverance, strength, and the power of community.
Buthaina’s Story
Blending Flavours and Generosity
Buthaina Mohammed shares her journey from Palmyra and Der Ezzor to Türkiye, carrying with her the rich traditions of Syrian cuisine. She recalls the beauty of her homeland, the hardships of war, and the loss of her sons, which forced her to flee. Despite displacement, she adapted by using her culinary skills to provide for her family, preserving food without electricity and making traditional dishes. In Türkiye, she continued these traditions, selling homemade products and embracing resilience. Now, she dreams of returning to Syria to rebuild and pass down her heritage to future generations.
Ghaimana’s Story
Mleihi and Culinary Legacy of Sweida
Ghaimana Ali shares her journey from Sweida to Türkiye, holding onto her Druze heritage and culinary traditions. She describes the deep-rooted hospitality of Sweida, where food is a communal experience, and Mleihi is a symbol of generosity. Adapting to life in Türkiye, she struggled to find ingredients but continued making traditional dishes, ensuring her daughter embraced their culture. Despite challenges, she remains hopeful, dreaming of returning to Sweida to rebuild and start a business. Her story is one of resilience, love for her homeland, and the power of tradition.
Mirvet’s Story
Aleppo’s Flavours of Kibbeh: Tales of Love and Resilience
Mirvet Qasem shares her journey from Aleppo to Türkiye, holding onto her love for Aleppan cuisine, especially its many varieties of kibbeh. She recalls the warmth of family gatherings, cultural traditions, and the challenges of adapting to new places while maintaining her culinary heritage. In Türkiye, she worked, raised her children, and built a community, blending Aleppan and Turkish influences. Now, she dreams of returning to Syria to open a restaurant that fuses Syrian and Turkish flavors. Her story reflects resilience, love, and the power of food in preserving identity.
Nabiha’s Story
The Flavour of Heritage and the Building of Hope
Nabiha shares her journey of loss, resilience, and cultural preservation after being displaced from Palmyra. She recalls the rich traditions of her hometown, especially the preparation of burma, a dish deeply tied to community gatherings. Forced to flee, she rebuilt her life in Türkiye by turning her culinary skills into a business, empowering other refugee women. Despite the hardships of exile, she remains committed to passing down her heritage and dreams of returning home to help rebuild her community.
Nariman’s Story
The Flavours of Homs’ Heritage and the Resilience of Motherhood
Nariman recounts her journey from Homs, where she cherished family gatherings and traditional dishes, to the hardships of war and displacement. She describes the struggle of surviving under siege, fleeing Syria, and rebuilding her life in Türkiye, where her daughters’ factory work became the family’s main support. Despite immense challenges, she remains strong for her children, preserving the culinary traditions of Homs and ensuring her family stays connected to their heritage. Though life in exile is difficult, she holds onto hope of returning home and rebuilding her community.
Noor’s Story
The Richness of Hama’s Table and the Longing for Identity
Noor Abdulrazzaq shares how food helped her preserve her Syrian identity after being displaced from Hama to Türkiye. She recalls Hama’s rich culinary traditions and the challenges of adapting while holding onto her heritage. Despite hardships, she emphasises the resilience of Syrian women and the power of food in keeping culture alive. Through cooking, she teaches her children about their roots, ensuring their traditions endure.
Rahma’s Story
The Taste of Home: Stories of Resilience and Survival
Rahma Hussein, a lawyer and mother from Maarrat al-Nu’man, shares how displacement has transformed food traditions and daily life. She describes how rising costs and scarcity have forced families to adapt, replacing lamb with chicken and simplifying meals for survival. Despite hardships, she balances work, caring for her autistic son, and preserving Syrian culture through food. She highlights the struggles of displaced families in camps, where cooking has become a means of survival rather than tradition. Rahma remains hopeful, believing in Syria’s future and encouraging resilience through faith and determination.
Rana’s Story
The Story of Raqqa’s Thread Traditions and Resilience in Displacement
Rana Muneer, originally from Raqqa, reflects on how displacement has transformed her food traditions and daily life. She describes the communal gatherings of her past, where traditional dishes like thareed were prepared with fresh, homemade ingredients. After moving to Idlib and then Türkiye, she had to adapt, replacing homegrown produce with store-bought alternatives and adjusting her cooking methods. Despite these changes, she preserved her heritage by exchanging dishes with new communities and even starting a small food business. Rana remains hopeful for Syria’s future, aspiring to return home and rebuild her life while sharing the cultural knowledge she has gained.
Razan’s Story
Damascent Flavours: Between Traditions and Adaptations
Razan Ahmed, from Damascus, preserved and adapted her culinary heritage after moving to Gaziantep in 2014. She learned to cook and turned her skills into a successful food business, introducing Damascene flavors to a diverse community. Despite challenges in sourcing ingredients and financial struggles, she remained committed, hoping to one day rebuild her business in Syria. Through her journey, she encourages women to persevere, believing that dedication leads to success even in difficult times.
Salma’s Story
Turkmen Heritage and Tales of Responsibility
Salma Al-Bayli, a Turkmen from Aleppo, reflects on preserving her cultural heritage while building a new life in Türkiye. She recalls communal traditions, particularly the preparation of huluk, a signature dish, and how displacement forced her to adapt. Despite being away from her family, she remains committed to passing down her heritage to her children through food and tradition. Now, she is pursuing a business idea in glass recycling, hoping to support women in both Türkiye and Syria. Salma believes in the strength of women and encourages them to balance family, work, and personal growth with determination.
Samar’s Story
With a Kind Heart, the Story Begins
Samar Mohammed, originally from Qamishli but raised in Homs, reflects on preserving her culinary heritage despite displacement. She recalls traditional dishes like mansaf and kubaybat, adapting them to her circumstances by substituting ingredients. In Türkiye, financial hardship pushed her to work in agriculture and later start selling homemade sweets and meals. Through resilience and creativity, she provided for her family while learning from both Syrian and Turkish food traditions. Now, with Syria’s liberation, she dreams of returning home and rebuilding, encouraging women to stay strong and support their families through perseverance.
Shahla’s Story
The Cuisine of Hauran: Traditions and Life Lessons
Shahla Hourani, from Daraa, reflects on preserving Haurani culinary traditions while adapting to life in Türkiye. She shares the significance of Mlehi, a traditional dish, and how displacement forced her to modify its preparation due to limited resources. Despite hardships, she built a home-based catering business, integrating skills learned from Syrian and Turkish communities. Determined to support her family, she pursued work while ensuring her children remained connected to their heritage. Now, with hopes of returning to Syria, she encourages women to stay resilient and take action to shape their futures.
Zainab’s Story
Flavours of the Coast and Stories of Exile
Zainab Maghribi, from Baniyas, reflects on preserving coastal Syrian cuisine while adapting to life in Mersin. She describes signature dishes like sayadiyah and kibbat al-silik, adjusting recipes when ingredients were scarce during the war and after displacement. Despite challenges, she remained committed to passing down her heritage to her children while learning new cooking techniques in Türkiye. She hopes to return to Syria, reclaim her land, and start projects in handmade crafts and pastry-making. Zainab encourages women to pursue their passions, believing they provide strength and shape future generations.