Loneliness Is Political: Who Feels at Home in a Society? | Shared Table Dinner x Wahlheymat
Shared Table Dinners are a microcosm of community, practiced the way we’ve always gathered: around food, presence, and questions that move us.
On belonging, democracy as a verb, and rebuilding our sense of “we.”
Loneliness is not only individual; it is shaped by how our societies are built, who is centered, who is excluded, and how much opportunity we have to participate in shaping the world we live in. In increasingly polarized and fragmented contexts, belonging becomes political: it’s about voice, power, imagination, responsibility, and care.
This Shared Table Dinner is co-hosted with Wahlheymat, a Berlin-based initiative working at the intersection of democracy, participation, and belonging. Together, we’ll explore how we might cultivate citizenship as a verb again, beyond voting once every few years.
How do we practice participation, everyday democracy, and being with one another in ways that reduce othering and expand belonging, as john a. powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute, reminds us? How can we reimagine the cultures, structures, and relationships that help us feel included, connected, and needed?
Together, over shared food and conversation, we’ll explore:
When have you last felt truly part of a “we”?
Where do you feel disconnected from society or civic life?
What might “citizening” look like in everyday life—beyond institutions?
Come join us!
Your hosts, Iván from Wahlheymat and Sarah, Joy, and Thomas, on behalf of Monika | The Oneliness Project
🍚 What to Expect & Bring
Shared Table Dinners are experience-first gatherings—intentionally designed and gently facilitated, without a fixed script.
We come together around a shared table to eat, listen, and explore questions that matter. The evening invites presence, contribution, and meaningful connection while leaving space for what wants to emerge.
Please bring something small and easy to share — homemade or store-bought, both are welcome. Think: a salad, spread, soup, raw veggies for a platter, a leftover you love, or something sweet! 🍫
This is a vegetarian, alcohol-free dinner. We’ll have delicious Oolong tea and water to share. 🍵
💛 Contribution & Accessibility
Shared Table Dinners are carefully designed, facilitated experiences—hours of prep, cooking, conversation, and care go into making each gathering special. Your contribution keeps these dinners alive and accessible.
All contributions are shared equally between C*Space (our community home) and Monika Jiang / the hosting team.
10 € — Your Seat at the Table
You get a spot to join the conversation, share food, and be part of the magic. Minimal, but enough to keep the door open.15 € — Give Back a Little
Covers basic costs and some of the host’s time. You’re helping keep the lights on while showing up fully.20+ € — Sustain Community
For those who want to see Shared Table Dinners continue and grow! Your generosity sustains the space, the hosting work, and allows others to participate at lower contributions.
Choose what feels right, and know that every contribution is part of the community in action. 💛 Thank you!
About the Host(s) 🤸♀️ & Space
Hii! I’m Monika Jiang, a writer, curator, and community builder, and the creator of The Oneliness Project.
I started Shared Table Dinners as part of my exploration into loneliness and oneliness as personal, social, and cultural experiences, and how we can practice reconnection with ourselves, others, and the world. I’ve held spaces across global conferences and festivals, organizations and teams, as well as in intimate, small-group settings.
My gatherings are known for weaving together play, joy, embodiment, and depth of inquiry, using movement, reflection, and thoughtful questions. Take a leap of faith and join to feel for yourself!
Please note: As I’m away from Berlin beginning of 2026, a wonderful team of co-hosts—Sarah, Joy, and Thomas—are bringing this Shared Table Dinner to life (with lots of love, no doubt). I’ll be there in spirit and am thrilled to support from afar!
C*Space is our main collaborator and community home of all Berlin Shared Table Dinners. As a purpose-driven creative hub housed in a former furniture factory in Berlin-Weißensee, C*Space cultivates curiosity, community, and regenerative ideas through co-working, cultural programs, and gatherings like this. 🟡