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Steam rose from bowls of homemade soup as students settled into their seats in the . A presentation on winter traditions in Turkey sparked conversation, drawing murmurs of recognition and a few nostalgic smiles.

When the slideshow ended, attendees gathered in small groups for a matching game connecting landmarks, customs and historical moments. Those more familiar with the traditions offered hints while others brought fresh curiosity to each pairing.

For an hour, Syracuse felt a little closer to Istanbul.

The gathering was part of the Maxwell School’s Culture and Conversation Tables, a series hosted by the Moynihan Institute that brings students and community members together to explore languages and cultures from around the world.

Held about once a month, each table takes a slightly different approach, from language-intensive practice sessions to film screenings and themed cultural presentations. All serve a shared purpose: building community while advancing Maxwell’s mission of exposing students to a wide range of perspectives and preparing them for an increasingly interconnected world.

Moynihan is home to Maxwell’s seven regional centers, focused on Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, and South Asia. Located on the third floor of Eggers Hall, the institute supports teaching, research and programming that prepares students to engage with the world’s most pressing challenges. The Culture and Conversation Tables are a natural extension of that work.

“The tables are one of the most accessible ways we connect students to the world beyond the classroom,” says , director of Moynihan and professor of political science. “Whether someone is preparing for fieldwork abroad, practicing a language they’re studying or simply curious about a part of the world they haven’t encountered before, these gatherings offer something genuinely valuable.”

Much of the tables’ day-to-day coordination falls to George Tsaoussis Carter, event specialist, and , regional programs manager for Asia. “What stands out most is the enthusiasm students bring to these tables, both the ones who help organize them and the ones who show up to learn,” says Baxter. “They leave with more than vocabulary or cultural trivia. They gain a broader sense of the world and a genuine connection to people from very different backgrounds.”

Baxter is also impressed by the care and commitment of table hosts, which, on the Asia side, include faculty such as , and Tomoko Walker from the , as well as graduate students and, on occasion, highly motivated undergraduates.

Originally known as Language Tables, the program was renamed to reflect its broader emphasis on culture, conversation and connection, according to , associate director of the Moynihan Institute.

Over the years, the institute has hosted tables in more than 20 languages, many supported by U.S. Department of Education grants aimed at strengthening international and language education. Currently, 16 tables are offered, spanning languages from Arabic and Hindi-Urdu to Chinese, French and Tamil. For most of the tables, the institute partners with faculty and instructors in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences

The tables have at times reflected the urgency of world events. For instance, visiting scholar Tetiana Hranchak hosted a Ukrainian table that drew strong attendance from students across the University, some directly impacted by the war with Russia. Hranchak, who fled her home in Kyiv after the invasion, joined the Maxwell community through the Scholars at Risk program, which supports academics displaced by conflict and persecution.

The tables also give international students a place to hear their native language and share traditions from home. Open to all ������ students, not just those in Maxwell programs, the tables invite anyone across campus to engage with new regions, customs and perspectives.

Story by Mikyala Melo