Create immersive global learning experiences without travel.
Open up your school or school district to the world with Portals. Engage communities across the globe in locations as diverse as refugee camps, public parks, community centers, tech hubs, and other schools. Instill global and cultural competency, so students can thrive in an interconnected world. Provide opportunities for students to interact and collaborate on a global scale. Introduce diverse perspectives into projects and lesson plans.
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I had the chance to reconnect with my brother who was in Mexico City at the time. It was very real, almost like he was standing right there in front of me. It made me so happy I cried. I didn't think I was going to get to see him again in a long time and that experience made me so incredibly happy. Thank you very much for this!
This is an experience like no other....I was emotionally speechless
Shared Studios came highly recommended to us, and they greatly exceeded our already high expectations…. From the structuring and visioning of the ceremony, to the understanding of the technical capabilities, to the coordination of personalized graduate photos and quotes, to the final production details – Shared Studios were immaculate professionals and perfectionists. Since premiering our Virtual Commencement, we have heard only accolades. Shared Studios allowed for our school’s unique personality to shine in an extremely professional production, and we could not be prouder for what we produced for our graduates.
My husband and I spoke with two college age men and their fathers for almost an hour. I was terrified going in – about what to say, what not to say – and all I wanted to do after a few minutes was to talk to them all day. Getting over fear is all you have to do to have a connection.
I really enjoyed speaking in the portal this morning. I had the opportunity to meet Mahsa, a woman photographer in grad school. As a photographer myself, we had a lovely conversation about one role at being a photographer and the difficulties that can come with that (especially for her in Tehran). I love the idea of the portal – stepping into the darkened container and making a connection with someone overseas. I love how successful the portal is in connecting 2 strangers. We use technology all day long and yet we can still feel a disconnect. The portal, in its simplicity, defies that. Thank you! Jessica
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
Amazing, incredible profoundly beautiful and connective experience. This is a terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary barriers that we put up between cultures and people. This is exactly what social media technology should be used for. It’s a beautiful, gorgeous bridge that I hope to see crossing more boundaries in the future. I am grateful and honored to be part of this art exhibit.
I don’t know that I am ready to write about this experience yet but I know that I will be thinking about my conversation for a long time. My first portals conversation was with a twenty-something man who had just finished his military service – two years are required to obtain a passport therefore leave the country. Our conversation followed a surprising turn where he began by saying he would turn his back on all Iran but he ended by acknowledging the aspects of his life. My second portals conversation was with Mahsa...
This experience was so eye-opening. Inside the portal, time and place fade away. I met Susan, a budding fashion designer who love her friends. She is inspired by art and music and the TV show 2 broke girls. It felt like we were in the same strange room, existing in a place other than where we physically were. I’m so grateful to have had this experience. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. Caroline A
Last night, prior to entering the portal, I spoke to a friend about what I was doing today and he led me to a chat website, Omegle, were somewhat similarly to portal strangers meet. Unlike portal, they meet for a variety of different motives, some flashing, in an altogether different concept. Not much respect, lots of inappropriate things, sex, trash talk etc. With portal, the medium itself is of far more interest. Internet communications have allowed people to do this for years, but the context of the internet leads for a centre of profanity. By removing this technology from that context and placing it in “art” and making a physical space, Portal invents a purer experience.
I don’t know that I am ready to write about this experience yet but I know that I will be thinking about my conversation for a long time. My first portals conversation was with a twenty-something man who had just finished his military service – two years are required to obtain a passport therefore leave the country. Our conversation followed a surprising turn where he began by saying he would turn his back on all Iran but he ended by acknowledging the aspects of his life. My second portals conversation was with Mahsa
Thank you for a moving and provocative experience- and for democratizing the U.N.H.Q. (United Nations Headquarters)
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!
Wow! It was like being there. The Star Trek teleporting peace is possible if we all speak.
Fantastic concept + flawless execution – felt like I was really in the room with Syed, we chatted about work – he’s an app developer, and had some good insight as well about the NGO development community in Herat, where I have very little knowledge. It was humbling to hear about his displacement – twice – by war. Thankful that things seem quite a bit calmer in Herat. I think this sort of connection – physically + emotionally – is exceedingly rare and something I will cherish. In peace, Aaron
It amazes me just how universal hip-hop has become. Here in America it was originally created as a means to express ourselves despite the forces oppressing us. Blacks had few ways to convey their thoughts publicly so we confused creativity with passion in hopes that the words in our hearts would be felt. Today I spoke with a man on the other side of the world who said that positive hip-hop is blooming where he lives in Afghanistan. It’s inspirational to say the least. I’m honored to be able to share my voice with the world. This portal is a gift, a treasure in time that I feel will one day be incredibly impacting! Javier S
Amazing, fantastic, memorable experience chatting with Omar. His message - talk with refugees, not about them. Powerful. Congratulations to the USHUM for making this available. Estie
Technology has helped create points off access that were once of exile. The ability to connect with someone halfway across the world as though they were directly in front of you, to practice your foreign comprehension by watching duds, relating over the jay + humor of watching universally relatable characters. This was a truly special experience. Governments cannot keep us divided. Sanctions cannot keep us divided. People will find ways to connect with their fellow brethren. Thank you, Shaadu
I had the pleasure of speaking with the very delightful Human (Hooman) Amiri – a 23 year old Art painting Student at the University of Tehran. What a cutie patootie!! I was taken aback by how easily we connected – what an amazing experience! Human told me about his “girlfriend” and that he was really excited about the future of their relationship as a typical older Iranian woman, even though I was born and raised in the USA. I naturally fell into the position of giving relationship advice! I was almost embarrassed that I felt it my place to chime in – but he was ecstatic! Continuing to tell me that he bought her a nice gift for her birthday almost in hopes of my praise and approval! How endearing and cute! His innocence and passion came through us vividly and were so symbolic of what I love and admire about Iranian people and youth in particular. The time seemed to go by way too fast and perhaps the encounter was so sweet because of its rapidly fleeting moments. We exchanged contacts and I told Human I expected an invitation to his wedding! Ending by giving him a comfortably characteristic pep talk – ensuring him that his drive, spunk and kind demeanor will get him far. Whether in his goals for his art and painting career or his relationship with his current love interest. Human had not expected an Iranian American on the other side of the portal and I had expected to disappoint my Iranian counterpart by being a “boring Iranian”. But in reality we were both (at least I think he was too) very pleasantly surprised! I look forward to keeping in touch. Thank you to the beautifully artistic and interestingly “human” experience. I can’t wait until there is a beautiful Golden Portal in every city around the world. Here’s one step closer to a more unified, tight knit, loving world and human race. To Human!
It is a jarring and real experience.
Thank you to the cute guys we met! Best first date ever. Glad to hear about your experiences. Lots of love, Tatiana.
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
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.
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.
Today is my 46th birthday so I wanted to do something special to mark the day so here I am! It’s such a great idea to connect people from different parts of the world. I really enjoyed my conversation my partner in Iran is a 3rd year engineering student who plays blues guitar! We exchanged contact info so I look forward to continuing the conversation in the future. Thanks so much for setting this up. I’ll never forget this day!
As a senior at Georgetown, I’ve been reflecting a lot on how conversations have been the defining part of my college experience. This conversation is certainly one I’ll remember, even if it was only fifteen minutes. Muwaz and I broke the ice by discovering a lot of things we have in common – we’re both attending university far from home, we both care about access to education, and we’re both 22-year-olds unsure of exactly what course our lives will take. But as we got talking, I also realized that he had had many experiences I never will. He was sent to Pakistan when he was nine to work on a construction site and he worked as a translator for foreign troops in Afghanistan. These moments of difference were uncomfortable for me, not because they surprised me necessarily, but because I realized that despite 22 years of interacting with people different than me, I still don’t always know the best way to respond – support? consolation? more questions? I’m reminded of a quote by anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn (or something like that) that says, in essence, “Everyone is the same, some people are the same, no one is the same”. We’re all human, we’re all part of a culture, and we’re all individuals – all at the same time! Thanks, Portal team and Merwaz reminding me of that. H F
Portals is a game-changer for global education.
A terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary borders we put between countries.
This has changed my life. We need a forever Portal!
This was the best hour of my life.
The Portal was a very unique and sublime experience.
The Portal is a place where you lose yourself — however momentarily — and exist in a space with no time, place, language, constraint. The Portal is a type of control that allows for the most authentic human exchange — a conversation — so simple, yet undeniably profound.
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
Can you please portal make all over the world! The longer I stayed inside, the more I realized the power of communication especially because people we’re told we shouldn’t communicate with! Art can change the world – and this project is an epic fresh step. Thanks for letting me be a part of it.
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.
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!
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.
A connection triggered. Lovely and almost ethereal.
Wow. The whole experience felt so real! It was real! We are both married, and it was so eye-opening to hear how he spoke about his wife and kids. The deep respect he has for his wife, how happy he is to have kids, how much he thinks I should have kids! We are the same age, both run our own businesses, amazing. He was so thoughtful, so curious about me and my thoughts on the world. He openly acknowledged the difficulties between the US and Afghanistan, but he felt so much hope. Honestly, he had for more hope than I feel day to day, he has inspired me to keep writing my blog about different people and how they live around the world, and I am forever grateful for this opportunity.
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.
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.
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
Amazing how the first moments and awkwardness gave ground to joy the technology and the opportunity to share a moment of connection across continents. Thank you.
Amazing, incredible profoundly beautiful and connective experience. This is a terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary barriers that we put up between cultures and people. This is exactly what social media technology should be used for. It’s a beautiful, gorgeous bridge that I hope to see crossing more boundaries in the future. I am grateful and honored to be part of this art exhibit. Yours truly, Kwadwo ADAE
We have leveraged their Portals network and Journeys to help our customers explore topics of interest to them while boosting our own brand in their eyes. Just as importantly, our employees have been able to connect to others to help bring outside-the-box thinking and drive innovation as well as get inspired as they think about their personal and professional paths.
The Portal worked perfectly, like magic. I was transported to the life of a young photographer who is propelling herself toward studies in the US. We soon swapped stories of our travels and interests and as cliché as it sounds, we are all one community. I look forward to staying connected with this lovely and talented woman.
To me this experience was mind blowing. Sharing to someone on the other side of the world makes you feel that you live in a place where everyone cares so much about time and space. You are locked in a container standing there “literally” naked.When a man naked, you are standing in front of someone, and this person can see your hands, the way you stand and move. You are opening your soul and your thoughts to another human being. It’s like a time machine. To him was 6pm to me was 9:10am. Time is not crucial, and space is nothing when you metaphysically are confined to express what makes a good day to you. Have you thought about it?
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.
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.
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!
Best experience ever in my life entering this Portal and speaking with someone from Havana, Cuba. The conversation was easy, friendly and I highly recommend for the whole world to do this.
This was one of the highlights of my life.
That was incredible! I know I will cherish and treasure this experience for my whole life. Being able to see someone who has the same hopes and dreams as you across the world is just awe-inspiring. I thank you so much for this.
I will be thinking about my conversation for a long time. Being able to communicate with refugees from their camp, has always been something I wanted to do, but getting the opportunity to interact with them virtually surpassed by expectations. This initiative is the best and I encourage you to keep on using technologies to get people aware of the situation. The perk of having the chance to ask them questions that cannot be answered by the media was wonderful. If I could I would stay in this portal forever! Thank you so much. Elise (UN Intern)
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.
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.
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!
Inspiring and groundbreaking. This is an amazing experience. Really works as art but as cultural diplomacy as well. Bravo!
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