Turkish Cultural Center Maine Turkish Cultural Center Maine
Diverse Communities Gather to Break Fast at TCC Maine Iftar Dinner
At sunset on the evening of July 23rd, 2013 during the month of fasting known as Ramazan, about 40 guests from the local American, Azerbaijani, Turkmen and Turkish communities gathered at the Applewood Inn in Freeport for an iftar (eef-tahr) dinner to break fast and enjoy a meal together at festivities sponsored by the Turkish Cultural Center Maine (TCCME).
Following the Muslim call to prayer or ezan (eh-zahn), guests broke their fast by enjoying an array of Turkish cuisine prepared by the Inn’s proprietor, Adil Yilmaz.
Rep. Karen Kusiak, who is also an Assistant Professor of Education at Colby College was attending an iftar dinner for the first time, and expressed how excited she was to be departing on a TCCME intercultural exchange trip to Turkiye in a month’s time.
TCC Board Member Mr. Aydin Kayabay spoke at the event, saying that Ramazan is a month of brotherhood and that it’s TCCME’s goal to continue to organize events such as these so that the ties of brotherhood between diverse cultural communities become stronger over time.
TCC President Eyup Sener spoke about the importance of diverse communities uniting with one another in spite of their differences and the plans TCCME has to continue to organize and sponsor similar events in the future in the name of a continued partnership between Turkiye and the state of Maine. Mr.Sener then announced the good news that TCCME would not only be moving into its new permanent home soon but that next year’s iftar dinner will be hosted on the premises.
One of the guests, Mr. Tarlan Ahmadov, said it gave him great pleasure to attend the event with his family and emphasized his belief in the importance of Maine Turkish and Azerbaijani communities coming together more often to enjoy such events.
The iftar dinner ended with the guests partaking in Turkish baklava and tea for dessert.
