SameDifference is a project running from April 2011 and June 2013. It is being implemented by SOS Malta and is co-financed by the European Refugee Fund 2011. The project’s main objective is to promote meaningful interaction between people with refugees and subsidiary protection status and different sectors of Maltese society in an informal setting using ethnic food as a communication and bridging medium.

As part of the project, a team of Cultural Ambassadors, all having refugee or subsidiary protection status, are travelling to various locations and events in Malta to share ethnic food with local communities. As part of the project, the Ambassadors have been trained in food handling and will serve the food they have prepared at these local events. Both the Ambassadors and the participants are being encouraged to dialogue and share experiences whilst enjoying the food.

This project is an integration initiative that seeks to explore what makes people feel they belong to a community and how they might integrate more through the interaction of sharing food and experiences. The preparation of food and the social relationships that can develop through this process is a fascinating area of interest.  Integration through food can link different cultures together and make everybody feel part of One Malta.

We at the SameDifference project believe that inclusive interaction between people of diverse backgrounds contributes to a society focused less on individual differences and more on shared experiences.