ai: Given the purpose and the specific rules designed to foster intimacy, understanding, and community bonds at your potluck, the ideal number of attendees should be within a range that allows for meaningful interaction, cultural exchange, and adherence to the event's unique structure. Considering the objectives:
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Strengthen community bonds and foster new connections: A smaller, more intimate group is conducive to building strong relationships. This setting allows for deeper conversations and more meaningful exchanges.
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Celebrate cultural diversity and promote understanding through storytelling and cultural exchange centered around food: A diverse group is necessary to achieve a variety of cultural representations. However, it should still be small enough to allow everyone to share their stories and listen to others.
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Encourage healthy food choices to promote well-being: This goal can be achieved with any group size, but the ability to discuss and learn about the dishes in detail would benefit from a more intimate setting.
Given these considerations and the rules you've set to enhance the experience, the ideal number of people to invite to your potluck would be 12 to 15. This size is:
- Small enough to build trust and intimacy: Essential for sharing personal stories and cultural backgrounds.
- Large enough to offer a diversity of opinion: Ensures a variety of cultural dishes and stories, enriching the cultural exchange aspect of your event.
- Allows for mystery and intrigue or constructive unfamiliarity: With the "Stranger Danger" rule, this size group ensures that attendees can avoid sitting next to people they know, encouraging new connections.
This group size also allows for the effective implementation of your rules, such as "Dine and Switch" and "One Speaker at a Time," ensuring that the event remains engaging, inclusive, and focused on the deeper purpose of the gathering.