Around the Iftar Table

Some evenings leave you feeling quietly grateful. Tonight was one of them.

Mark and I had the real privilege of being invited to Iftar by Onder and Esra. To be welcomed into someone’s home at such a significant moment during Ramadan is no small thing. It felt generous, open and deeply kind.

I have always loved Turkish food and said so the moment we arrived. What followed was a table full of dishes that were quite simply delicious – fragrant, beautifully prepared and offered with such care. Food tastes different when it carries hospitality with it. This did.

But what made the evening memorable was not just the meal. It was the conversation.

Onder and Esra should be immensely proud of their three children. We had truly fascinating discussions with the two teenagers – thoughtful, articulate young people with strong views and quiet confidence. The sort of conversations that restore your faith in the next generation. Their curiosity and willingness to engage in proper discussion were impressive.

And the youngest? An absolute star. Calm, polite, beautifully behaved throughout the evening. Family life on display in the best possible way.

In this year focused on Hearing the Young Unheard, I talk often about community, about listening well, about building understanding across difference. Tonight was that in miniature – around a dining table, breaking fast together.

Sometimes the most important work happens not in conference halls or council chambers, but in living rooms.

Thank you, Onder and Esra, for your warmth and generosity. I am very much looking forward to seeing Onder again at Blenheim on Thursday.