The mission of PeaceAtTheTable.world is to share true stories of how peace and understanding are nurtured by sharing food.
The daily tragedies, violence, and war are very sad to me. After the tragic mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in 2016 in Orlando, Florida, I was angry. I was angry about all of the death and hate and disconnectedness in our country that nurtures violence like this.
This shooting was near the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the 
end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.
As I read more about the violence that night, I was drawn to news that members of Orlando’s Islamic community were reaching out to families of victims from other faiths, inviting them to their end-of-fast dinners as a show of support, love, and compassion.
That moment stayed with me. It showed me how sharing a meal can create space for healing and peace, even during profound pain.
This led me to the idea of the importance of gathering and telling these kinds of stories of food, peace, and healing. This idea helped comfort me as well at that moment.
History, literature, religion, and art — just to name a few — are filled with stories of people, communities, and nations finding peace and healing through a shared meal or drink.
Peace At The Table’s mission is to share these stories and invite others to share their own stories of peace and food.
I welcome any story from you about how healing or understanding has come out of a meal that you’ve participated in, witnessed, or helped to create.
Come read more about my story and what led me to Peace At The Table.
Thanks very much and peace,
– Jeff Marden
These stories need to be told. The world needs to hear news and stories about healing and building peace — now more than ever.
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