University of Northern Colorado's Honors Program students engage in a series of thoughtful, intensive, and rewarding personal dialogues with their colleagues in countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, and Bahrain. During this live student-driven demonstration, discover how synchronous, web-based technologies serve as a conduit for new understandings across the oceans and cultures. As participants of the Soliya Connect Program college students in the U.S. Europe, and Middle East/North African countries to collaboratively explore relations between the West and the Arab and Muslim Worlds with the aim of improving intercultural awareness and understanding. More info at http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GBandhl=en-GBandv=Q5cEMtLDA0M

1. The Connect
Program
Contact: info@soliya.net
www.soliya.net
The Organization
Soliya is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to Africa, Asia, US, and Europe via Soliya’s customized
developing a new generation of leaders with the online videoconferencing application. The medium is
cross-cultural knowledge, communication skills, and remarkably intimate: participants can see each
international connections to create a more informed, other’s facial expressions, hear tone of voice, and
peaceful and just global society. The name, Soliya, even share a joke, yet be physically situated in
derives from the integration of sol (Latin for "sun") locations as distant from each other as Doha, Cairo,
with iyaa’ ( ‫ - إﻴﺎة‬an old Arabic word that means Rabat, Paris, Jakarta, New York, and Houston.
"beam of light"). Drawing on the universally revered
symbol of the sun, Soliya aims to shed light on the Students usually participate in the program as part of
relationship between the West and the Arab & an accredited course at their universities relating to
Muslim World1 in a way that promotes understanding, topics such as International Relations, Conflict
respect and cooperative joint action, by galvanizing
young adults to take leadership roles in reducing
tension and promoting constructive engagement
between their countries and regions.
Soliya’s Programs
Soliya achieves these goals through its Connect
Program and Continued Engagement Activities.
Soliya’s Connect Program is a unique cross-cultural
education program that directly connects university
students in the Middle East and North Africa, Asia,
Europe and the United States via groundbreaking
online collaboration and communication technology.
Using this web-based videoconferencing application,
participating students collaboratively explore the
various issues that currently divide the West and the Soliya utilizes a custom-built web-based
Arab & Muslim World by engaging in intensive videoconferencing application. This application
dialogue, and creating videos and other media allows for much richer and more intimate exchange
projects addressing relevant themes. After between students than the traditional group-to-group
completing the Connect Program, students are videoconferencing approach at a fraction of the cost.
eligible to participate in Continued Engagement
Activities, such as facilitation training and weblogs,
with other alumni from the Connect Program. Resolution, or Media Studies. Soliya’s program
complements their coursework by giving students the
Connect Program opportunity to discuss matters relating to tensions
between the Arab & Muslim World and the West with
The Connect Program directly links students from
their counterparts. Students meet in groups on a
universities throughout the Middle East and North
weekly basis for 2-hour sessions and, under the
guidance of trained facilitators, discuss topics such
1 as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the war on Iraq,
The terminology used to describe this divide is inevitably an
oversimplification. Each term has its limitations when being used to culture and stereotypes, and the role of the media.
describe such diverse groups. When using the term “West,” Soliya is Soliya’s goals are for students to become more
generally referring to people living in North American and European
countries, and when using the term “Arab & Muslim World” Soliya is
aware of the complexities of the situation in the
generally referring to individuals living in Arab countries and other countries Middle East and its relations to the US and Europe,
with predominantly Muslim populations. Students participating in Soliya’s to start observing media more critically, and to
Connect Program discuss these terms at length, exploring what they mean
and how they are used, and developing an understanding of the mosaic of become responsible citizens of the World.
cultures, religions and perspectives that lie beneath them.

2. In addition to participating in discussion, students even as they present their own. Window into My
complete two projects as part of the Connect World revolves around an exchange of short videos
Program: taken by the students. Each video should offer
students a glimpse of a specific “time and place” that
• Video News Reports - Students are trained to their partner feels is representative of his or her
use simple video editing software to create their culture. Finally, Explore My Network is a project that
own short “news reports” with raw news footage gives students the chance to interview their partners’
provided by Al Jazeera and APTN on specific friends on an issue that interests them. As a result,
events pertaining to West – Arab & Muslim World both students have the opportunity to learn about and
relations. This experience enables students to ultimately understand the perspectives of another
portray their interpretation of the relevant event, community. All assignments emphasize exchange
and encourages them to develop a personal and discussion throughout the process, and all
connection with the issues. The students’ news projects finish with either a paper or a class
reports serve as a catalyst for discussions about presentation reflecting on the experience.
how the same event can be depicted in different
ways, thereby significantly altering the message
conveyed. By analyzing the subtle distinctions in Curriculum
these various depictions, students develop a
more sophisticated lens for assessing the Concurrent with their activities online, students will
information they are exposed to in the discuss their experiences in class with their professor
mainstream media. This hands-on video and classmates. Soliya has developed a curriculum
production activity demystifies television for an interdisciplinary course in international
journalism and provides students with critical relations, media studies, and conflict resolution in
media literacy and media production skills. collaboration with an academic advisory committee
composed of a number of professors from
universities in the US and the Middle East including
faculty at Tufts University and the American
University of Beirut amongst others. This course is
designed to be taught in parallel with the online
dialogue Soliya conducts. Professors wishing to
have their students participate in the on-line dialogue
program can offer the entire multi-disciplinary
curriculum as a stand-alone course or simply
integrate the relevant materials into pre-existing
courses. Soliya has compiled a required and
suggested reading list intended to explore the
relationship between the “West” and the “Arab &
Muslim World.” After each semester of the program,
Soliya works closely with partner professors to
With professionally shot news footage provided by update and improve the curriculum. The curriculum
Al Jazeera & APTN, participating students have the includes an activity plan for the web-based dialogue
opportunity to express their perspectives and gain process, as well as suggested activities, discussions
insights into the media’s role in changing and and readings for the in-class component of the
creating perceptions of the “other.” course. It also includes materials in media and
communication, religious studies, international
relations and conflict resolution that professors can
Joint Project - Students form into cross-cultural select from or build off of as they choose. The stand-
teams to work collaboratively on a Joint Project for alone course has been integrated at a diverse cross
which they have a number of options. The joint section of universities including the American
project encourages students to work together more University of Beirut, Tufts University, American
effectively and develop better insights into other University of Kuwait, Virginia Commonwealth
perspectives. Students choose from three Joint University, and the University of Amsterdam.
Project options: Perspectives, Explore My Network,
and Window into My World.
Students who choose the Perspective project will
exchange posts and website recommendations on a
selected topic with the goal of coming to the deepest
possible understanding of their partner’s perspective,

3. Continued Engagement Activities Results
Following their participation in the Connect Program, Student feedback, received via extensive
students will have the opportunity to take part in evaluations, has been extremely positive:
Continued Engagement Activities, including:
• 92% of students said they would recommend the
1) A conflict resolution skills training program that program to their peers.
will allow selected students to serve as facilitators
in future iterations of the Connect Program; • 93% of students said that while participating in
2) Weblog editing over the course of the semester the program they shared information about what
in order to encourage their peers to engage in they were learning with their peers and others in
asynchronous communication about the their community.
relationship between the West and the Arab &
Muslim World. Analysis based on extensive pre- and post-tests also
showed the following shifts over the period of the
Each semester 35-40% of students sign up and program:
participate in these follow up activities.
Students that rated their knowledge of the
relationship between the “West” and the “Arab &
Participating Universities Muslim World” as high or very high:
Soliya conducted its first Connect Program in the fall
of 2003 with the American University in Cairo, the
American University of Beirut, Harvard University, Before
Clark University and Virginia Commonwealth
University. Since then, Soliya has steadily expanded
After
its program each semester. To date, Soliya has
worked with nearly 2000 students from a diverse set
of over 60 universities: in the US, including Tufts
University, Georgetown University, Carnegie Mellon
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
University, and Virginia Commonwealth University
and universities located in 13 different countries in American & Middle
the Middle East and North Africa, including, among Series1
European Series2
Eastern
others, Jordan University, Qatar University, the
American University in Beirut, Al Quds University in
the Palestinian Territories, and Al-Akhawayn Students that felt they had a good understanding of
University in Morocco. In 2007, Soliya began working their counterparts’ views in the “West” and the
with the first university in Turkey and its first European “Arab & Muslim World”:
university partners in Belgium, Norway, France, Finland,
the UK and the Netherlands. In 2008, Soliya began Before
working with its first partners in the broader Muslim
World: Gadja Mada University in Indonesia and in 2009
the first students from the University of Tehran in Iran After
are participating in the program. The Connect Program
is now a part of an accredited course at the vast
majority of universities in the program. In the coming
years, Soliya plans to significantly expand the reach of 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
the program to provide thousands of students from
American & Middle
throughout Europe, the US, the Middle East and the Series1 Series2
European Eastern
broader Muslim World with the cross-cultural
knowledge, communication skills and international
connections they need to significantly improve the
relationship between the West and the Arab & Muslim
World.

4. Information for Universities
What do we ask of participating universities? What are the technical requirements?
• Each university will select ten to twenty students The program is designed to provide a rich online
to participate in the Connect Program. experience with minimal technical requirements.
• Soliya strongly recommends the program be Ideally universities will provide participating students
offered as part of a credit-bearing course and will with access to 5 or 6 computers at flexible hours, so
assist university staff in finding the best way to that students will be able to coordinate
integrate the program on their campus. communication across time zones. These computers
• A faculty member, staff member or graduate should have, at a minimum, the following
student will spend approximately 2 hours a week specifications:
providing hands-on supervision for participating
students. Soliya will provide this individual with • Windows XP Windows XP or Vista (XP is
extensive and continuous support. strongly recommended.) Or Mac OSX or higher
• Each university should identify a technical point • Pentium III or equivalent; G4 or better for Macs
person who will be responsible for ensuring 256 MB of RAM
access to computers on campus and properly • 500 MB of available hard drive space
configuring the systems. • Internet Explorer 6 or higher and Flash Player
• It is our hope that university faculty or staff will 9.24.00 or higher
also serve as genuine partners in the • Webcam and a headset with both a microphone
development of the Connect Program, providing and headphones (available for approximately
creative ideas and critical feedback about US$50)
program design and implementation. • 200 Kbits/sec Download and 100 Kbits/sec
Upload (This is a minimum – performance
What do we ask of participating students? improves significantly with more bandwidth.)
• Prior to the commencement of the Connect We highly recommend NOT using wireless for
Program each student will participate in a brief participation in the program. The inherent
on-line orientation. variability of a wireless connection can disrupt
• Throughout the duration of the program students participation in the online discussion. Please
will spend an average of 3 hours per week email info@soliya.net with questions.
participating in the Connect Program.
• Students will complete a brief pre- and post- What will Soliya provide to participating
evaluation about their experience. Universities?
• The software and media elements necessary for
What criterion should be used for the selection of participation in the program.
participating students? • A “Curriculum Menu” for the program that local
Ideally, participating students will be: faculty can customize to their specific intended
• Fluent in English learning outcomes.
• Highly motivated and mature • Extensive introductory and training materials for
• Able to work well without extensive supervision students, the sponsoring professor and
• Interested in international affairs, media and technical support staff.
cross-cultural communication. • Consistent technical and programmatic support.
* They do not need to have any previous experience • The opportunity to help shape a new, exciting
in video production. and important program.
• The Connect Program will receive extensive
What academic disciplines does the Connect media coverage. Participating universities will
Program pertain to? be highlighted in all public relations materials.
While the critical thinking and communication skills • An exciting learning opportunity for students,
provided through participation in the Connect one that will give them key critical thinking,
Program are applicable to most disciplines, the most communication, media literacy and technical
directly relevant fields are: skills for the 21st century.
• International Relations, particularly American,
Middle East and/or Islamic Studies
• Media and Communications
• Conflict Resolution

5. Soliya Management
Lucas Welch Waleed Nassar
President Cairo Office Manager
& Outreach Officer
Lucas Welch has extensive
experience working in media and Waleed graduated with a Bachelor
intercultural communications in Journalism and Mass
utilizing new technologies. He Communications from the American
worked for several years at ABC University in Cairo. He has
News on documentaries for Peter extensive experience in interactive
Jennings. He has taught new media production at media and has worked with local NGOs in using
Birzeit University in the Palestinian Territories. Lucas interactive media as a tool for development. He was
also served as the Director of Communications for also featured as a new media artist from Egypt on the
America Abroad Media where he coordinated a website of the Middle East Youth Initiative (MEYI) of the
videoconferencing initiative between high schools in Wolfensohn Center for Development at Brookings.
Pakistan and the US. He has also worked as a
researcher at the Berkman Center for Internet & Waidehi Gokhale
Society at Harvard University and as the Associate Program Manager
Producer for Common Ground Productions on a
documentary series about the Israeli-Palestinian Waidehi Gokhale has worked in the
conflict. fields of psychology and
development with a focus on
Liza Chambers children and youth. She has worked
Executive Director as an International Projects
Manager with War Child Canada, a
Liza Chambers has worked for facilitator and researcher with the Centre for Dialogue
several years as a facilitator at and Reconciliation and as a counselor on staff for two
Seeds of Peace, providing training high schools in the Greater Boston Area. She received
and facilitating dialogue for youth her undergraduate degree in Literature and Philosophy
from conflict areas, including the from the University of York, UK, a Master’s in
Middle East, Cyprus and the Counseling Psychology from Boston College and a
former Yugoslavia. She was a Program Manager at Master’s in International Law and Diplomacy from The
Conflict Management Group, where she directed a Fletcher School at Tufts University.
program that brought Israeli and Palestinian
negotiators together to participate in negotiation skills Salma Elbeblawi
training and dialogue. Prior to that she was Director Program Manager
of Youth Programs for NCCJ- San Diego where she
managed programs that promoted dialogue about Salma Elbeblawi has several years
issues of race, class and gender. She has also of experience in the development
developed dialogue programs in South Africa and at field with a special focus on youth
Brown University. She holds a Masters in Public development and informal
Policy from the Kennedy School at Harvard education. She was a program
University, where she did extensive coursework on manager at University of Wales
conflict resolution and mediation. Aberystwyth, working to promote education among
disadvantaged communities. She also worked as a
Reem Marto youth development consultant with the Ford
Outreach Manager Foundation, the Arab Education Forum and the NGO
Coalition for the Rights of the Child. She has a special
Reem Marto received her Master's interest in exploring the use of art and other creative
degree at Princeton University's tools for social change.
department of Near Eastern •••••
Studies. Reem has studied Arabic
in Damascus, Turkish in Istanbul, Soliya President, Lucas Welch, and Executive Director,
and earned a one-year fellowship at Liza Chambers, were named two of "the World's Best
the Center for Arabic Study Abroad at the American Emerging Social Entrepreneurs" by the Echoing Green
University in Cairo. She completed her bachelor’s Foundation for their work with Soliya. They are also
degree in Middle East Studies and International Studies both affiliates of the Berkman Center for Internet &
at Emory University. Society at Harvard University.