Dumplings, we believe, embody interconnectedness: from Chinese jiaozi to Georgian khinkali, their journey from Central and East Asia across the world—through trade routes, colonial expansion, migration, and cultural exchange—reminds us how food-making fosters relationships rooted in care. 

Our idea is to host a political kitchen in February 2026 at the Liberation Centre, titled Political Dumplings - Talks & Collective Cooking with Bordered Lives. The event will begin with an introductory talk, and each of the proposed guests (artists and academics with different cultural backgrounds) will briefly present their work, centred around the theme of how their artistic and academic work can foster a sense of togetherness and solidarity across cultures, and then share their memories and experience with dumpling making: what shapes of dumpling are popular in their culture, and why so? Are there any cultural meanings behind these different shapes of dumplings? On what kind of occasions in our daily life would we have dumplings? 

In the second part of the event, we will move to the on-site kitchen to prepare dumplings of various shapes together. Led by the invited guests and organisers of the event, we will make at least 5 shapes (Chinese, Kazakh, Korean, Palestinian, and Mexican). This community kitchen format is meant to cultivate curiosity about other cultures, encourage empowerment, and foster a sense of unity as we cook side by side. Participants will learn from each other, experiment with different dumpling forms, and engage in a collective practice that is more meaningful—and more enjoyable—when shared, as dumpling making is inherently a communal task rather than an individual one.