t Dolan Uyghur Restaurant, one of our core values is to form and maintain close relationships with our customers and local community. We strive to share Uyghur culture while giving back. With locations in Washington, D.C. and Chantilly, Virginia, Dolan serves as a bridge to connect America with Uyghur culture. We strive for excellence in everything we do and hold ourselves to the highest standards of customer service and store operations. Most importantly, we work to raise awareness about the treatment of Uyghur people. Dolan continues to invest in the local community in a variety of ways.
Here are a few of our recent outreach projects and events across Washington D.C.
Dolan for Healthcare Workers
Since June of 2020, Dolan has been providing free meals to healthcare professionals in Washington D.C. At Dolan, we are incredibly grateful for the healthcare workers who have been working tirelessly on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. On behalf of the entire Uyghur community, Dolan expresses our gratitude to these heroes by providing them with flavorful, nourishing Uyghur meals. In this way, we are also able to share our culture with the healthcare community in Washington D.C. Dolan’s owner, Hamid Kerim, says “this display of gratitude will continue in support of healthcare workers and for the good of the community.”
Dolan for Capitol National Guard Troops
Dolan Uyghur Restaurant thanks the American National Guards for their service. To show our appreciation, Dolan provided troops in Washington D.C. with traditional Uyghur meals at no cost. To the Uyghur community, the National Guards represent peace and freedom for all people. According to Dolan’s owner, Hamid Kerim, “We thank America for its stance for justice and rights of Uyghur people. We genuinely appreciate all officers' hard work and dedication, which stands for people's peace and freedom!”
Community Book Launch Event
In June of 2022, Dolan Uyghur Restaurant hosted a community book launch event for “The Perfect Police State” by Geoffrey Cain. Cain is an American journalist, author, and writer specializing in Asian-based reporting. His book, The Perfect Police State, “investigates how a region of China became the site of a nightmare social experiment—the definitive police state—and the global technology giants that made it possible. Using the haunting story of one young woman’s attempt to escape the vicious technological dystopia, his own reporting from Xinjiang, and extensive firsthand testimony from exiles, Geoffrey Cain reveals the extraordinary intrusiveness and power of the tech surveillance giants and the chilling implications for all our futures.”
Geoffrey Cain connected with Dolan to host the book launch event because of the restaurant’s authentic Uyghur atmosphere. Together, Dolan and Geoffrey Cain worked to create a meaningful, memorable event for guests from the Washington D.C. community. The launch event featured poetry readings, a book talk and Q&A with Geoffrey Cain, live Uyghur music, and a delicious buffet of Uyghur cuisine from Dolan. Each attendee received their own hardcover copy of "The Perfect Police State" with the author's signature. Through this event, Dolan was able to share Uyghur culture with the Washington D.C. community and raise awareness about the treatment of Uyghur people. We hope that every guest left with a deeper understanding of Uyghur culture and a conviction to end the genocide that the Uyghur people still face in Central Asia.
Uyghur People
The Uyghurs are a Turkic, predominantly Sunni Muslim group of people who traditionally inhabited East Turkistan (also known as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) in Central Asia. The Uyghur people have long been the victims of a human rights crisis orchestrated by the Chinese government that the U.S. State Department and many experts define as genocide. Uyghur culture is being erased, and millions are unjustly detained. The U.S. government and human rights groups believe China has detained millions of Uyghurs against their will in a large network of what the state calls "re-education camps". The Uyghurs still living in Xinjiang are spied on by a draconian system of surveillance, their culture is besieged, and millions are unjustly detained enduring indoctrination, torture and forced labor. Uyghur culture is being erased, and this erasure must be stopped. Learn more about Uyghur people and how Dolan is raising awareness.
Future Events
Dolan will continue to give back to the community and plan events. To stay informed about upcoming events and outreach, follow Dolan on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you would like to host an event or share outreach ideas, contact us.
About Dolan Uyghur Restaurant
Dolan Uyghur Restaurant is one of the first Uyghur restaurants in Washington D.C. and Fairfax, Virginia. At Dolan, we serve fresh, healthy, and delicious Uyghur cuisine. On our menu, you’ll find hand-pulled noodles, chicken stew, handmade dumplings, and many more delicious dishes. Our chef prepares each dish with fresh, ingredients, authentic recipes, and pride for our culture. With every item on our menu, we are committed to preserving and sharing the authentic flavors and traditions of Uyghur and Central Asian cuisine. We invite you to learn more about our brand story, view our menu, see our locations, or make a reservation.