A blue and green cake shaped like a globe with an edible plane flying over it is at the center of a room where a group of cheerful guests, adults and children, dance and hit a pinata. The party, whose theme is travel and multiculturalism, marks the fifth anniversary of Safarni, a project that aims to teach diversity to underprivileged children through intercultural and imaginary traveling workshops.

Created by Raphaelle Ayach and hosted by the civil society group Etijah, Safarni means “take me traveling” in Arabic. It aims to teach local children respect for Egypt’s and the world’s cultural diversity. Since its opening on Oct. 5, 2012, Safarni has organized hundreds of imaginary weeklong trips to foreign lands, using expats of the countries based in Cairo, food of the countries and decorations and knickknacks that belong to the country. Using nongovernmental organizations and refugees or expats who were only too glad to talk about their countries, Safarni has created the ambiance of many foreign lands.

The children, guided by a volunteer “captain” and welcomed by “foreign friends,” dive into the discovery of a new land for eight days. Often, that means meeting and talking to locals from that country, tasting the local food and experiencing the country’s folklore.

“Traveling remains a luxury that only few Egyptians have access to,” Ayach told Al-Monitor, referring not only to the economic difficulties but also stricter visa procedures toward Egyptians since the beginning of the 2011 upheavals. “We're using our platform to transmit the benefits of travel — such as connecting with new friends of different cultures, trying different foods, dancing to new rhythms, learning about new social issues — while staying within the geographical confines of our own neighborhood.”