On 18 August 2026, Avicenna Wageningen took part in the annual introduction days of Wageningen University & Research (WUR), joining the Info Market at the Arboretum from 13:00 to 16:00. With a small but energetic team, plenty of enthusiasm, and a little help from the Dutch weather, we managed to turn our stand into a welcoming place for students and visitors.
Preparing for the Big Day
The preparations started one day earlier. On 17 August, the hyperactive board member asked in the board and coordination group who would be joining the Info Market. Several board members immediately volunteered, including the board member who thinks they can speak Persian, the decoration specialist, the merchandise designer, and the co-manager of E&A.
On the morning of 18 August, stand preparation was allowed to begin at 11:30. The board member originally from Iran, but who does not speak Persian, planned to buy dates and baklava before heading to the Arboretum. She arrived first, followed by the co-manager of E&A and the decoration specialist.
Meanwhile, our hyperactive board member was on a mission of his own: cycling to pick up the Avicenna banner and prayer mats. Unfortunately, his hyperactivity had consequences—he lost his bike key and arrived a little later than planned. At the same time, the hyperactive board member and the merchandise designer struggled to locate the stand.
Once everyone found their way there, the team put up the banner and prayer mats and started preparing the stand. Fortunately, other people were also around to help with the construction.
And then came the wind.
The Prayer Mat Crisis
The weather immediately made us question whether our prayer mats were really up to the challenge. At around 12:35, the decoration specialist and the board member originally from Iran began discussing what the stand needed.
A wish list was quickly created:
- More prayer mats: colorful, good quality, and large
- Tasbih
- Books and Qurans, including translated Qurans
- Avicenna merchandise
There was, however, one small problem: the Info Market was about to start.
Enter our two heroes: the hyperactive board member and the merchandise designer.
Without hesitation, they picked up their bikes and headed through the rain and wind toward Radix and Dijkgraaf to collect the urgently needed materials. While others were preparing for the start of the event, our two heroes were on a weather-resistant supply mission.
At 13:20, only twenty minutes after the Info Market officially started, everything that was needed had been delivered.
Mission accomplished.
A Calm Corner with Great Conversations
The religious organizations' section of the Info Market turned out to be a relatively calm corner. During the first two hours, Avicenna Wageningen welcomed visitors who were interested in collaborating and learning more about what we do.
Around 15:00, the board member originally from Iran, the co-manager of E&A, and the decoration specialist went to get something to drink. This also happened to be around the time when visitors started stopping by to enjoy some baklava and dates.
When the trio returned, they brought tea for the two heroes who had braved the rain and wind to complete the emergency shopping mission.
Tea, baklava, dates, conversations, and collaboration ideas—the stand had everything it needed.
A Successful Finish
At around 16:00, the Info Market came to an end. Despite the unexpected weather, the last-minute supply mission, the missing bike key, and the search for the stand, Avicenna Wageningen successfully completed its participation in the WUR 2026 Introduction Days.
The two heroes once again took responsibility for transporting the prayer mats and banner back after the event.
It was a day full of teamwork, improvisation, laughter, food, conversations, and, of course, a healthy dose of Avicenna-style hyperactivity.
A big thank you to everyone who helped prepare the stand, visited us, shared ideas, enjoyed some baklava and dates, and contributed to making the Info Market a success.
Until the next event—hopefully with less wind, fewer lost bike keys, and even more colorful prayer mats!