World Nest Cafe

We are months into self-isolation and, at this point, things are starting to look a little bit brighter. We are allowed to go out more, work slowly but surely adapts to the situation, allowing us to be physically present more often, and we get to see friends again...all while properly distancing of course. And, even though we are not there yet, this feels like a relief.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by my friend from Italy, an amazing woman I met when I participated in the Forum for Moroccans Living Abroad. This program was aimed at strengthening the ties with the Moroccan Diaspora, in this case students, to reconnect them with their country of origin and teach them about, and engage them with, all kinds of developments the country is going through. For nearly two weeks, we were grouped together with students and young professionals from all over the world, visiting different cities and villages, doing activities and generally having a great time together. Majda was one of the participants and we connected over broken conversation, smiles and laughter. Fast forward nearly five years and we've mostly kept in touch by liking each other's pictures on social and applauding each other's achievements digitally.

But that changed a few weeks ago. Majda, stuck in self-isolation, came up with the idea to contact her network all over the world and asked who would be up for it. And after years, we talked to each other, miles apart, feeling like it had been only a few days ago we last saw each other. Then, she decided to take her social experiment a little further and decided to connect her network mutually. Fast forward and she and her lovely friend Caterina created the World Nest Cafe.

The World Nest Cafe is an online platform, where people, mostly young professionals, come together to discuss social matters. These topics range from Active citizenship to Education to Gender Equality and much more. Various questions are discussed on the matter, comparisons between countries and personal experience are made, opinions and unique perspectives are added to the mix and...you get a multidimensional conversation that would be next to impossible anywhere else. And, most important of all, absolutely anyone and everyone is welcome.

To me, this initiative couldn't have had a better timing. Stuck inside, my mind has the tendency to go in overdrive and having human connection based on actual substantial matter was welcomed by my brain wholeheartedly. Moreover, ever since graduating I've missed discussing social topics and actualities. Truthfully, I've missed learning from other people and having profound conversation. Getting swallowed whole by the grind of my job, it is a part of me that I've had to compromise, but missed terribly. World Nest Cafe has allowed me to reignite the spark of my curiosity and has given a foothold to my desire to participate in social change. I am not saying that the World Nest Cafe is a revolution in itself, but it is undeniably revolutionary in connecting human minds with the desire to spark a change, no matter how small.

To me, being part of the World Nest Cafe means I have the opportunity to meet like-minded people across cultures and borders, while at the same time having so much opportunity to learn new things and gain new perspective because of this difference in culture and geographical location. For me, there is so much to be learned in a setting that is both friendly and safe, and where each considers the other as equal. In this way, a unique opportunity is created which has allowed me to expand my horizon from the comfort of my home. The best thing about it is that my network has grown and my circle of friends has expanded in a way that would have otherwise not been possible for me. And I genuinely hope it is the start of a new movement, where the exchanging of ideas, building friendship and shared humanity will be a catalyst of significant change, not despite, but because of all the wisdom that is to be gained from difference in ethnicity, faith and gender.

Because in the end, I believe that true growth can only come from continuously developing yourself and passing on that growth by forging human connection, which then allows for more growth and significant change to happen on a substantial level.

To conclude,

"If not us, who? if not now, when?".

This is for you Majda and Caterina.