I had goose bumps and wanted to reach out and touch the screen.

My experience was amazing! I had goose bumps and wanted to reach out and touch the screen. This is a new form of communication + A powerful concept – I really appreciate the opportunity to experience this portal to the other/self. We need more spaces where open dialogue can occur. Crossing political, cultural, geographic boundaries. These conversations remind us that we are bound more by our similarities than divided by differences. Thank you!

I wish this was compulsory education in high schools.

It was absolutely beautiful. I wish this was compulsory education in high schools. If more people spent time interacting with people in other countries it might help address a multitude and issues. My conversation was full of joy and surprises – we had a few in common with each other – she studied cinema and scriptwriting, like me. We talked about film, documentary, independent cinema, and life in general. We talked about what it meant to be free, and she said she needed to live somewhere where she could write and create art with freedom. It was exceptionally moving – I want to do more!

It is an exquisite and unforgettable experience!

Please allow we to thank everyone who has worked to put together this remarkable project. It is an exquisite and unforgettable experience! What would be a better way to facilitate communication in this era then to combine contemporary technology with the way we all have to talk and find connections with each other. I met Mahsa Biglow, the photography student and experiences with a number of noteworthy parallels. From our fondness of city walks at night to our appreciation of our recent skydiving trips, the proximity of our lives in form seemed to make the geographical distance in substantial. I cannot wait to return here and hear of the projects expansion to other cities. It is so rare to discover such ?? things in a short period of time, but ?? that is just my perception. Maybe the world and our lives one filled with so many more opportunities for these kind of things than we recognize, and the world’s live is more involved with subtle ?? than we typically perceive. So in summary, thanks again to all that put these elements in motion, who will keep it going, and to all who participate. And to others who have not tried it yet, enjoy.

Getting to know him briefly has been a highlight of my life.

Omar is poignant, funny, beautiful, wise and filled with other worldly joy. Meeting him and getting to know him briefly has been a highlight of my life. It is work like this that makes me hopeful for the future of the country and proud of this institution.

This experience was unimaginable and incredible.

With all the experiences I’ve had as an Iranian American and as a part of this community, this experience was unimaginable and incredible. I had a conversation with a complete stranger, someone who I would normally never meet. Thank you for organizing this experience. Please do it more! I can’t wait to meet someone from another place. There was a moment when all I wanted to do was jump through our boxes and see his street and show him mine. So we told each other about the weather and painted an image for each other. Mana

We saw a lot of killing in front of us in Mosul, but now we have a better life in the camp. I hope to come here every day and see my lovely friends in the Portal.

I was happy. We saw a lot of killing in front of us in Mosul, but now we have a better life in the camp. I hope to come here every day and see my lovely friends in the Portal.

I am grinning. Overjoyed and inspired.

What an incredible, powerful but off the same natural experience. I met Hama, a photography student in Tehran who had on infectious energy that you could feel despite the physical distance between us. We talked about stories and visions, little things and big things. She talked about Google like god, her “window to the world”. Hana encouraged me to write more, to share my story. We want to write together to create together. Thank you for curating this beautiful experience. 

As an educator, constantly opening my students’ eyes to current happenings in the world...Before I can do that I need to open up my own.

As an educator, constantly opening my students’ eyes to current happenings in the world is something I consider one of my duties. Before I can do that I need to open up my own. Thank you for such an eye opening experience.

I felt honored that someone would want to take time out of their day to connect with me.

I was nervous that I didn’t have anything interesting to say, but it turned out that the simplest topics of conversation are still profound when you are talking with someone you’d never otherwise have the chance to meet – soccer, shopping at the market, jobs, family. I felt honored that someone would want to take time out of their day to connect with me, and I hope to do it again sometime soon… thank you!

Best birthday present I could get.

Today is my birthday and I thought the best way to spend it was to “go” somewhere else. That somewhere else is here at the portal. I spoke to a wonderful artist who was photography as portraiture and projection amazing conversation about the process that we use as an artist to make work and what it means and what it can look like. I ful like and made a friend today. Best birthday present I could get.

The Portal is a gift of presence, connection and oneness.

So full in the light. Here. The Portal is a gift of presence, connection and oneness. I am so grateful to begin this day – in this way with a connection to a community of artists, a family of free thinkers. What a reflection of intention! What a powerful medium. So happy to be a part of this quiet, personal, passionate revolution of connection. So moved by the practice of our oneness. In the light. So full. Here. Best as ever, Sharese Bullock-Bailey

This has changed my life. We need a forever Portal!

This has changed my life. We need a forever Portal!

Intimate – awkward – human – blessed.

Intimate – awkward – human – blessed. What a wonderful experience!! I was drawn to this because I realize that small “inconsequential” moments between people have the immeasurable capacity to bind us together. Not all that can be counted counts  – and much that cannot be counted very much counts. This very much counts. I wanted to reach out and touch my stranger in the portal – but was so grateful for the chance to connect. What would make his day better? coffee and more time to spend on his own. Me? Solving a problem for a ?? – where there is no perfect solution. All so human! I am so grateful to be a small mustard seed in what I hope will flourish in its own organic way. Thanks so much.

I just witnessed my husband communicate with a refugee in Germany that moved me beyond comprehension.

It changed the issues currently facing our world so much more real. This experience will stay with me forever, maybe for positive pleasure but also negative reasons from my own misconceptions. This changed me. I am so grateful for this deeply unique experience.

As the translator, this was an amazing and the most eye-opening conversation I’ve had in so long.

As the translator, this was an amazing and the most eye-opening conversation I’ve had in so long. As an Iraqi refugee in the US, it meant so much for me to be the connection between regular American citizens and Iraqi people. This is exactly what we need today to start the conversation and to help the American public understands a little more about Iraq and the Iraqi people. Love portal! Taif

Best first date ever :)

Thank you to the cute guys we met! Best first date ever. Glad to hear about your experiences. Lots of love, Tatiana.

It is a jarring and real experience.

It is a jarring and real experience.

His message - talk with refugees, not about them. Powerful.

Amazing, fantastic, memorable experience chatting with Omar. His message - talk with refugees, not about them. Powerful.

Wow! It was like being there.

Wow! It was like being there. The Star Trek teleporting peace is possible if we all speak.

we laughed from our hearts, because we connected

When asked if I had a question, I wasn’t sure where to start… too many things to learn. And it was the same for the Iraqi teenagers and their fathers to whom we spoke. We discussed culture, geography, education, politics, economics, religion and ISIS. Most importantly, we laughed from our hearts, because we connected. We got their message and now will find ways to act. Thank you!

It has been such a gift to be witness to a growing, maturing, loving way of being in this young world.

Dear Portal, I have been sitting by your side for the last two weeks, listening to the thoughts of all the people who have shared in your experience: passersby, students, professors, lawyers, artists, children and even a snorty bulldog named Winnie. It has been such a gift to be witness to a growing, maturing, loving way of being in this young world. I felt different. I feel bigger and smaller at the same time, knowing how I was a part of Herat, a place I have never been, for this short time. And those on the other side, I feel such camaraderie for them! What will I do without Omid and Said every morning? I know this time has made a difference hundreds on people's’ lives, me being one of them. I want to go visit Afghanistan! Keep doing what you do, because it is important and it works. I’ll miss you, but hopefully I will see you later! Love

Inspiring and groundbreaking.

This is an amazing experience. Really works as art but as cultural diplomacy as well. Bravo!

What the Portal does, is it doesn't just give you those faces. It's not a newspaper. You feel you are right there.

It is truly amazing. If you do nothing else I ever ask you to do, just do this. What the Portal does, is it doesn't just give you those faces. It's not a newspaper. You feel you are right there.

Portals is a game-changer for global education.

It's an amazing technology, making it seem like you're standing right in front of me.

It seem[s] like you're standing right in front of me. It's an amazing technology, but it also represents what this summit's all about which is young people from all around the world coming up with new ideas and making those ideas a reality. See, the good thing is when I sneeze, you have no danger of catching anything. It's one of the great advantages of…[the] Portal. I am glad that I had a chance to talk to you almost in person. It feels like you're standing right there... I want to go up and shake your hand... this is great.