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Hello Everyone! My name is Ola Bakri. I am thrilled to be with you in this training. What comes in my mind about me is 4 things:

1- my passion for traveling
2- Love for good food
3- My addition to social media
4- Green tea :D

Ah, I work at the American University in Cairo as an English teacher :)

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Hi from Tunis! Hi everyone! My name is Megan and I was born in raised in Virginia. Though I spent most of my time in Northern VA growing up, I spent my college years in Charlottesville, aka the happiest city in America (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/27/happiness-place-called-charlottesville-virginia). After college I moved to Washington, DC where I spent two years working for a MENA-focused thinktank and living in a big group house (I had 8 roommates!) In April I moved to Tunis to work with Search for Common Ground and improve my Arabic. I am interested in psychosocial support in conflict and post-conflict zones and the relationship between trauma healing and peacebuilding.

I am thrilled to be part of this Soliya training because I am eager to see firsthand how dialogue facilitation factors into the peacebuilding programs I support here at SFCG.

In my free time I like baking, good wine, a quality cheese platter, and dabbling in graphic design. My favorite book of all time is East of Eden (followed closely by Little Women and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance). I'm currently teaching myself how to sew and how to be a cat person.

(Me and my Tunisian street kitten, Beyonce).

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Hi all, my name is Chelsea. I have spent most of the years of my life in California, but I'm not convinced it's really home, especially since I also found home in other places like Seattle, Washington; Providence, Rhode Island; and Petrolina, Brazil. I like discovering what it's like to live in other places, exploring differences in culture (my partner and I have a podcast where we interview cross-cultural couples), and spending quiet time at home reading and hanging out with my cat, Liverpool.

I'm really excited about being in this Soliya training and hope to have much more of a chance to get to know you all over the next few weeks.

(The photo is me & my partner from a recent trip to Stockholm for a family wedding!)

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Hi from Tbilisi, Georgia. I'm Michelle, originally from Chicago but now living and traveling in the Caucasus. I heard about Soliya from colleagues when I worked in India 5 years ago. I really want to learn to facilitate dialogue which increases understanding across differences, so I can do hands-on work instead of solely administrative.

My hobby and professional interest area is also documentary photography. I'd like to combine it with conflict resolution.

This photo is on a friend's balcony in Batumi, Georgia, with the Black Sea behind me.

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My name is Paige. I have lived quite a few places around the United States, but am currently in South Carolina finishing up my Political Science degree at The College of Charleston.

I am always on the hunt for my next favorite book and new favorite pie recipe.

I had a fantastic experience as a Soliya participant last year, and am excited to continue with the program with you all!

(This is my mom and I in Asheville, NC last summer for the Asheville Half Marathon)

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Hey Everyone! My name is Ashjan, you can call me Ashy. I am from Yemen, can’t say it’s my home (cause home is where the heart is) and my heart is still trying to find that

place. :) Quiet but crazy. I have that stunning smile, smart head, and have endless ambition. I try to spread peace, love, and the humanity to the world. Got tons of things to learn and do in my life. Glad to be part of this training.

SKYPE: Ashy.Jarban

(This photo shows my BIG smile ;) )

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My name is Shannan and I've been living in NYC for 15 years. Prior to that I lived for 2 years in Kawasaki City, Japan (just outside Tokyo). Like others in the group I have a passion for travel and interest in cross-cultural understanding.

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My name is Beverly. Although I've lived in Tampa for more than 20 years, I still miss Birmingham, AL, my hometown. It's easier for me to count the states I haven't visited in the U.S. And, I have a list of the countries that border the American Mediterranean and another list of continents I still have to visit. (The photo below is from India, 2013.) For research, of course! I love reading, but trying to wean myself from print media. I'm a member of a Playback Theatre troupe, http://www.playbacktheatertampa.com/.

Skype: Phdant

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HELLO everyone, i'm Mohamed Alaa from Egypt,i am studying electronics and communication Engineering also i am the head of dissemination sector in Agora for Arts and Culture.
I am looking Forward to get the best Experience i can from all of you,and share all what i have got with you.
i am very excited cant wait to meet you all.
Skype: mohamed_alaar

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Hello .my name is Abdelhadi Razzouk but my friends and family call me Abdoul.I'm from Marralkech ,which is a well known city around the glob. Also,I'm a universit student I'm studing English literature . I'M a big fan of GEROGE Orwell . I had read most of his works .For instance,1948 ,Animal Farm and so on,,; I'm about to finish an Arabic novel ,at the same time writing in English .I spend most of my time reading. I love traviling by walk .Recenty I walked For about 200 km .It took me Two weeks .I had the chance to met with very intellectual folks who had left everything and decided to live alone. Moreover, I have been teachning English Literature for one year i . I admire volunteer works ,Finally I Would say and as Maya Angleou did before in her splend book I KNOW WHY THR CAGED BIRD SINGS."Be sure to not died without having done a wonderful thing for humanity"

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I'm Yomna Karoui from Tunisia.I'm actually working as volunteer in the association of development and social reform. I worked in several projects to improve my community's life level and well-being of individuals and I'm looking forward to achieving more.

I was recently selected as member of an amerian Fellowship program and I want to improve my skills in facilitating dialogue through this great experience .

I'm looking forward to meeting you all !

skype: mannau777

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I’m ElSayed Mahmoud, studying languages and translation. Also, I’m extremely interested in Management and Human Resources Management, and have already participated in many trainings, voluntary activities and Internship in such a field. My favorite hobbies are: Calligraphy, writing, reading, traveling and swimming.

I enjoy while being a volunteer, and I want to learn conflict resolution and facilitation skills, exceed my communication skills by dealing with people from different backgrounds, which is I love to do, and making global friends with different languages.

It’s a new exciting experience and Happy to be here!

Skype: elsayed.mahmoud.eg

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Greetings from Brussels -

Hello all!

I posted a message on Padlet last week but it has mysteriously disappeared...so here I come again!

I am originally from Madrid, Spain, but I am based in Brussels, Belgium. For the past two years I have been working for Search for Common Ground, a peacebuilding organisation that promotes collaborative, non-adversarial approaches to conflict through innovative tools.

I love adventure travel, photography, and as you can see in the picture... ice-cream!

Talk to you all soon.

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Hello Guys -

I'm Mayssa Hashaad, I'm Egyptian and I live in Egypt.

I'm a T.A. at dept. of English Language and Literature - Faculty of Arts, a student of master in literature and I'm a Microsoft Faculty Fellow.

I love nature, books and animals

So exited to meet you all and hope it is going to be an unforgettable experience.

Peace out!

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Hello everyone! I am Nilisha and I am an Indian, currently living in North Carolina, USA. I am a social and personal change coach, and hold a keen interested in facilitating groups using arts based methodologies. I enjoy working with youth and envision a world that thrives on pure human connection. In my free time I love painting and writing poetry. I am really excited to be a part of this group and feel honored to have this opportunity to learn with you all. Look forward!

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Hi Fellows - I am Sumbal Fazal from Pakistan. Student of master in Economics. Peace lover and harmony promoter by nature.

Excited about Soliya Advanced training. Hope it will be a great experience with you all .......

Stay Blessed.

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Hello everyone.. I'm Mohamed Ragab, Egyptian& live in the UK.

Great pleasure to be with you here for this training& I look forward to

meeting all of you soon.

Thank you.. Mohamed

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Hi all, My Name is Alaa Abd-ElNasser. I just started working as an Intern doctor. I come from Beni Suef which is a small town in middle of Egypt. I may be a small town girl, but I refuse to make my dreams small at any level. I'm deeply interested in knowing more about humans and reaching deep down in myself. This training is a new exciting experience and it was the time for me to learn new things and to do more. looking forward for all of it ;)

Skype Name: lolla.nasser.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaa.abdelnasser.395

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Hello People - My name is Tayiona Sanangurai from Zimbabwe

I am logging in from Harare.

I applied to be a facilitator because I work with young

people from different cultural backgrounds and am interested

in building my facilitation skills, this is also coming at an op-tune

when there are Xenophobic or Afrophobic attacks going on in South Africa an am looking forward to using my skills to facilitate dialogue on tolerance around this issue

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My name is Serena, I'm a New York born and bred but am currently living in Marrakech, Morocco. My days are filled with cross-cultural enigmas. I've participated and facilitated some dialogues before, but I want to learn new skills to ensure that I can be an excellent facilitator. I also want to be able to reflect on some of the experiences I have encountered while living here. I hope that the skills I will learn will allow me to better engage my peers both in the US and in Morocco regarding these issues.

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My name is Mazen Mahmoud. I am Egyptian, and I live in Giza, Egypt, just about 10 minutes away from the pyramids, but I can see them from the roof. I joined Soliya to get more experiences, and I like to be involved in something, Also, I really love the whole idea of Soliya, and how effective it is. I don't really know a lot about the advanced training, but I am sure it is going to be beyond my expectations.

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My name is Nadia, I'm a Dutch/Bahraini cross-cultural

cocktail which is part of why I applied to become a facilitator! I believe cross-cultural insight is invaluable, and I both want to keep learning as well as share the insight with others. Professionally, I'm transitioning into a career that revolves around behavioral and cross-cultural dynamics in the workplace so I hope the skills learned here will help me at work too. Something about me to share...I'll opt for the random: I love quotes and snippets of wisdom!

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My name is Jeffrey and I currently reside on Long Island, NY and have my own mediation practice (http://www.mymediation services.com). I completed my EJD Degree from Concord Law School in 2009 and will be completing my Master's Degree in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from Creighton University later this summer.

In addition to providing conflict resolution services, I have recently been working providing public speaking/coaching in providing leadership training as a certified member of the John Maxwell team.

As I currently offer ODR as part of my practice, I am looking forward to this training

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My name is Merna Thomas, and I am writing you from beautiful, chaotic Cairo. I moved here 4 years ago from Toronto, and I got super lucky to arrive just before the start of the January 25 revolution (game changer!). I currently work as an assistant reporter for the New York Times in Cairo, and cover mainly politics/breaking news. Please feel free to reach out by email or facebook, would love to get to know you all! :)

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I am Mona Abdel-Moneim and I live in Cairo, Egypt. I studied English Literature as an undergrad at Cairo University then received my M.A. degree in the study of Muslims, Globalization and the West from the University of Aberdeen, UK. I pursued this particular Master's degree because I've always been curious about inter-cultural/religious dialogue and have always held this innate belief that we are ALL essentially the same, but we just come in different shapes. I wanted to explore in more depth the rudimentary concepts of why we - human beings that is - launch wars and why we are so intolerant towards "the other".

I have a background in teaching English to university students and am currently working as a freelance copywriter and translator. I am also a facilitator at a local NGO called Educate-Me, delivering high quality education to underprivileged communities.

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My name is Adel Allam from Cairo, Egypt. I am 29 years old. I have graduated from faculty of Commerce and Business Administration and currently enrolled in MBA specialized in International Career Management. I am working as a Human Resources Professional in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). I love networking and communicating with different kind of people from various cultures and backgrounds. Recently I am volunteering with UNDP as a facilitator in some local dialogues i.e combating violence against women, social justice..etc.

I am looking forward to meet all of you today and have aw awesome 10 weeks in advance :)

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My name is Katy and I currently live in my hometown Bratislava in Slovakia.I recently quit my job where I worked with development projects. Now I volunteer for an NGO dealing with civic society issues and development education about conflicts resolution.Since my study years, I have been intrigued by inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue and conflicts. Recently, I have decided to explore more the path of facilitation and conflicts mediation. I love backpacking traveling, exploring new areas and cultures. Besides that I love art, cinema and old furniture which I would be able to take from a dumpster (one can't leave a mid-century armchair in the rubbish, right?:) I am looking forward to meet you all!

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NARIMAN (Egypt) - (Intensive Advanced - Aug 14')

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NARIMAN (Egypt) - (Intensive Advanced - Aug 14')

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Hello, I am Nariman from Cairo, Egypt! I am very excited to meet everyone in the Advanced Soliya Training. I have always been passionate about issues of cross-cultural communications, diversity, empathy and inclusion! And that's exactly why I am here in Soliya hoping to take part in a global experience that allows youth to feel their global citizenship and connect with others, critically think and practice effective dialogue techniques. I am interested in social entrepreneurship, travelling, reading and theater!

for now and until we meet, warm regards from a very hot Cairo!

Skype: narimanmoustafa1
THE TRADITIONAL EGYPTIAN VERSION OF ME (attached)

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MAYA (Egypt)  - (Intensive Advanced - Aug 14')

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MAYA (Egypt)  - (Intensive Advanced - Aug 14')

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Hello Everybody! My name is Maya Madkour, as you can probably tell from the title of my post! :) And I'm delighted to take part in this round of Advanced Training. I am here for two very important reasons. A) I'm staff and this is part of my on-the-job training. B) Secondly, and more importantly, I have always felt like my role is to bridge the gap between Middle Eastern and Western culture. As an Egyptian born in London, I have been travelling between Egypt and the US for the past 14 years and really consider both places to be home. And I think this is what this training, and the Soliya mission, is all about. For us to celebrate what we have in common as opposed to what's different.

A few other cool things about myself. I'm a new Mom! Yay! I just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Nour, who's almost 6 months old now. I love to read, blog, travel, and learn! ...

This is my graduation pic in May, 2010. Totally feels like yesterday. :)

The Road Not Taken BY ROBERT FROST

(I'm only going to add my favorite part because it's way too long!)

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."

I'm looking forward to meeting all you cool people later today!

Thanks!

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Hi I am happy to be a part of this group. I work for Search for Common Ground, which is an international peacebuilding organization in 35 countries. We are joining forces with Soliya this year to expand virtual exchange, so it is a pleasure for me to learn more about it firsthand.

I have a Master's in Development Practice with a concentration in International Conflict Resolution. I have worked with refugees to the U.S. as well as in conflict-affected communities in Rwanda and Sri Lanka. I've been very fortunate to travel to over 25 countries. Some of my other favorites being Egypt, Lebanon, and India.

I love gardening, working on food justice issues, dancing, and hiking. I live in Philadelphia with my wonderful husband, Jeremy.

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Hi everyone, my name is Bina and I am a Gujarati living in Maryland. I am a facilitator during the day but recently opened up my own business venture, HC Mediate (www.hcmediate.com). My goal is to provide training and technical writing in conflict resolution. This is something I like to do, and for this reason I have joined Soliya. I enjoy the way Soliya teaches their methodology of facilitation, and they have a different style, which is very approachable and applicable for high level conflicts. During my facilitations, I would like to learn how to bridge theory with practice. I know that in the Advanced training we will learn all this and more. I look forward to be working with all of you. I also blog a lot (hcmediate.wordpress.com) - this is something I do for fun. You all are more than welcome to post on my wall.

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Glad to be part of Soliya :)

So I am Egyptian...I live in Cairo. I am a working mom, a graduate student, and a supporter of a number of NGOs focusing on child rights. But the most important thing about me is that I am a big fan of Jane Austin, the English novelist :)

I am interested in Soliya's work because I think it might be the answer to the long lasting question of how we can make this world a better place to live in. I think we not only need to learn, together, how to live cohesively as western and predominantly Muslim countries but also as inhabitants of the same country and I believe that dialogue and creating an environment that welcomes and appreciates all views, no matter how contradicting and different they are, is the solution. How to reach that is what I am looking forward to learn :)

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I'm Rana Mohammed, from Giza, Egypt, I joined Soliya Program as a student alumni, then i took a Basic Facilitation Training, and I'm glad to join the advanced training , looking forward to be
a facilitator, I'm graduated from Greek & Latin Department which was all about culture,civilization, my speculation actually made me travel across the ancient world, knowing a lot of things, I'm very interested in meeting new cultures, get to know to different civilizations. My hobbies are swimming, traveling, listening to music.

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I am Monia. I am from Tunisia. I am passionate by communication Technics and debating.

I would like to learn how to ask good questions and engage different participants into peaceful negotiations

:) Happy to be with you

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Hello! I am Emily, in the picture that is me on the left and my daughter on the right. I live in Virginia, USA, where I am a graduate student in public health. I am also a flutist, and have performed and taught Western Classical, Jazz, and World (primarily Klezmer) music.

I'm interested in becoming a facilitator because I feel the training can improve my communication skills overall. I also have a desire to help people connect with one another on a human level regardless of their backgrounds, and be able to communicate, self-reflect, and understand other people's point of views on subjects that can be quite difficult, emotional, and sensitive.

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Elena Lozano Medina, greetings from Italy  (Advanced Fall 14')

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Elena Lozano Medina, greetings from Italy  (Advanced Fall 14')

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I am a Spanish student who lives in Padua, close to Venice in the North East of Italy.

My journey with Soliya started last year and it was the experience that touch me the

most during my degree.... a big reason to be still involved in this fantastic network.

I decided to live abroad my country many years ago to know other countries and

languages. In my free time I love travel, dance and spend time with my kids.

My hope in this training is go deeper in my reflections about cross-cultural dialogue

and learn something new about myself and others.

Happy to be here with all of you!

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GREETINGS (تحياتي) FROM CAIRO (Advanced Fall 14')

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GREETINGS (تحياتي) FROM CAIRO (Advanced Fall 14')

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Hey all! My name is Nourhan, usually I go by Nora. I was born and raised in a small town in Egypt but now I live in Cairo which never fails to amuse and astonish me all the time.

I love things that are done with passion whether they are big things like movies,music, literature,..etc or small things like children paintings.

I find my own passion in helping people and I believe to achieve sustainable true help to other lives I need to help myself first to improve, to discover myself and the world, to go through lots of experience and to learn from every possible source. Solyia for me is a step closer on my self development way.

Very happy to be with all of you :)

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Groetjes from Amsterdam (Advanced Fall 14')

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Groetjes from Amsterdam (Advanced Fall 14')

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Hello! My name is Bernard (my friends call me Ber) and I'm from the Netherlands. I’m a 23 years old history student living in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is an amazing city to live in. It’s vibrant and exciting and at the same time really charming and uncomplicated. Amsterdam has everything a modern metropolis has but still feels like a village. This is one of the reasons why I love living here.

Amsterdam is also an international city of culture, with a highly diverse population from somewhere around 180 backgrounds enjoying a broad range of arts & culture. The cool thing is that all these different backgrounds live beautifully mixed, ultimately contributing to the city’s unique diverse and lively culture. It feels great to be part of that.

Currently I’m doing my masters in Public History here. In the past I concentrated especially on the early modern and modern history of the Middle East, specifically the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the future I hope to realise my dream of making my own documentaries on controversial and socially relevant subjects. I hope my background as a historian can help me with this.

I spend my time like a regular student I guess. Whenever I have time (after studying) I go running or play waterpolo, meet with friends, cook, read a book, play board games and visit exhibitions. Ah, I also love hiking and traveling whenever I can and I have a passion for movies & documentaries.

Through my study I learnt about Soliya and the connect program. The program enlarged my horizon and gave me a better understanding of other cultures. Also, I learnt a great deal about myself and my role in a group. In the advanced facilitation training I hope to continue learning and contribute to the Soliya program. So I’m looking forward to our meetings and getting to know you all! Bernard

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Amsterdam, the Netherlands  (Advanced Fall 14')

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Amsterdam, the Netherlands  (Advanced Fall 14')

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Hi! This is Joël. I like gender and sexuality politics, stand up comedy, traveling -- and Soliya!

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Warm greetings from Cairo, Egypt. My name is Yara Nabil , I'm 23 years old, I live in a cozy neighborhood called Maadi, I studied Political science at Cairo university and got my bachelor's degree in 2012. I have a good experience in Human rights and also Gender/ women's rights as I worked for around 9 months in this field and also attended a summer school for 2 weeks on human rights. Currently I'm working for the German Cooperation (GIZ) in Egypt with 2 regional projects. Why I applied to be a facilitator? first of all, that would be a lifetime experience for me and of course more knowledge. Second, I'm very interested in being exposed to new cultures and languages; I've learned French and now learning German and I've acknowledged the fact that learning a language makes you familiar with it's culture. therefore cross-cultural dialog facilitation suits my interests perfectly :) The basic facilitation training was a great one, looking forward to our next online sessions and knowing each one of you more.

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The name's Aya :) I was raised in Kuwait and proceeded in my growing-upness in Cairo, Egypt.

I'm a music fanatic, non-stop reader and I have a strong, unbreakable passion for humanitarian work.

Living in a diverse place like Cairo, I see poverty & wealth sitting together at the same table. I see kindness and abuse in similar streets - everyday is an eye-opener in Cairo; you get to see the good, the bad, and the ugly. And for this, I am blessed.

I hope that my experience will one day change my country .. and maybe even the world! But for now, I'm doing it small scale ;)

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Namastey From India!! (Advanced Fall 14')

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Namastey From India!! (Advanced Fall 14')

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My name is Roohi, working for aTrust called 'We are Peace' - creating peace awareness and understanding among youth and children across educational Institutions, Teachers and Parents in their lives through various programs in Bangalore India. My latest passion is baking i mean 'Healthy Baking' literally avoiding non-nutritional products so i bake cakes like whole wheat zucchini, apple and dry fruits cake and so on.. its like meditation for me :). My pass time is watching animated movies with my two kids. I love music, travel, gardening and dance which am not good at :) when i learnt about Soliya through my friend i was thrilled that this is the platform for me to meet people across the globe and understand their culture,behavior and issues concerning them. I am blessed to be part of this organisation and the Team. Cheers to Soliya!!

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Hello from Spain! My name is Josep García and I am from Spain. I was trained as a teacher and worked in schools for a couple of years but in the last 4 years I’ve been working with different peace-building NGOs in conflict areas like Northern Ireland, Israel/Palestine and Burundi. With Soliya, I expect to learn skills I will be able to use in my facilitation work.

I just came back after a year of work with Search For Common Ground in Burundi and have had some unexpected issues to deal with back home so I couldn’t attend my regular sessions with this group. I hope to be able to catch up and get to know you all as we share this exciting time at Soliya, though.

All the best!

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Faten Belguith - Program Manager, CEO and Coach (Advanced Fall 14')

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Faten Belguith - Program Manager, CEO and Coach (Advanced Fall 14')

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I am from Tunisia, and living in Washington DC. I have more than 8 years experience working for youth and women empowerment through personal developement and social business programs. Since March, I am in Tunisia to implement a national reform in education. Facilitating is one of the skills I want to improve and keep practising, especially with uplifting and positive leaders like Soliya team. I think I am gonna learn a lot from each one 's experience and opinions.

skype:greatsun83

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Nicolás Oliveri - Hi from Sofia! (Advanced Fall 14')

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Nicolás Oliveri - Hi from Sofia! (Advanced Fall 14')

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I am Nico. Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, although I lived for many years in Spain. Now I am temporarily based in Sofia, Bulgaria working at the Centre for the Study of Democracy. My work here is based on governance and democracy in the Eastern Europe integration with a special focus on anti corruption initiatives.

My first experience with Soliya was the basic training, from which I learned a lot about facilitating and cross- cultural communication. This led me to undoubtedly accept the opportunity of being on the advanced training.

I think this training with will very helpful both for my further relation with Soliya as a facilitator and for my daily life, especially at work where cross-cultural communication and conflic resolutions can be crucial in many fields. I really look forward to it!

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My name is Nage . I am a Muslim, Arabian and Egyption .from this trinity my identity was formed .i love my life or at least part of it and i believe in the human diversity .

I love words ,believe in its effect and i know that i might own both human heart and mind just by some words. So when soliya offer to teach me the Optimal utilization of the words (Facilitation) i was unable to resist .

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Ghazia Abbas: Student, Social Worker, Geek (Advanced Fall 14')

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Ghazia Abbas: Student, Social Worker, Geek (Advanced Fall 14')

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Lahore, Pakistan

I'm currently doing my Honors in Biotechnology from Lahore (which some people have termed as the cultural hub of Pakistan). And I'm also working part time as a project manager in an NGO.

In my line of work, I've had a lot of exposure and I've loved every second of it; but the exposure that Soliya bought me was more profound in it's own special way which i could not have achieved from any other platform.

I got a HUGE paradigm shift on what facilitation is supposed to be after i took the Basic Facilitation Course. And I really look forward to working with everyone else for the advanced course!

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Scott Henderson - Hello From California (Advanced Fall 14')

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Scott Henderson - Hello From California (Advanced Fall 14')

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Monterey Bay

I am an retired ARMY medic and I am currently an American football coach and full time honors student at CSUMB. An alumnus of the Soliya Connect Program last Spring and then the Basic course in August, I had the opportunity to learn some valuable lessons and at the same time meet some truly wonderful people .

I applied to become a facilitator because my field of research is Global Studies and unprecedented technological capabilities are creating equally unprecedented social challenges for the 21st century.  It is likely that the key to any unprecedented solution(s) is going to be with the process of real time communication. I want to learn how to help people of dissimilar cultures communicate and find common ground. I cant wait to meet you all, lets have fun just for being alive!

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Yasir Khan (SOCIAL LEARNER) (Advanced Fall 14')

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Yasir Khan (SOCIAL LEARNER) (Advanced Fall 14')

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Yasir Khan (Social learner) I was born in Pakistan & have done my undergrad in

Social work & HR. I am exploring new trends of community development by engaging Youth Energies which is more than half of the population in Pakistan.It was, is and would be superb track to work with young blood to get and transfer multi tunes to create rythemic beats. Being social learner, I would love to be part of diverse community to color my grey areas and to add more steps towards destiny of Peace. SOLIYA is the only platform which I found & would find to grab all shades of life with in-depth social interaction.

“Let’s pick the pieces of Peace”

Skype: yasir498

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Nataliia Kuzmina, PhD candidate (Budapest)(Advanced Fall 14')

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Nataliia Kuzmina, PhD candidate (Budapest)(Advanced Fall 14')

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I was born in Kiev, Ukraine, but it has been 6 years since I am having quite a nomadic lifestyle. I traveled, lived, worked, studied in many different place in this beautiful world and I would like to continue my mindful journey. Over the last years I have been interested in the idea of conflict transformation and I have approached the topic from different angles: self-development, community outreach projects, research. Now I would be interested using dialogue as a conflict transformation tool and therefore, I am excited to participate in Soliya facilitator's course. Looking forward getting to know all the participants!

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REIJER LOMANS (Netherlands) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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REIJER LOMANS (Netherlands) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Hi guys,

My name is Reijer, and I'm from the Netherlands, where I live close to Amsterdam. I am about to receive my bachelor degree in social sciences/ conflict studies, for which I took part in Soliya's Connect Program. Currently I have taken a year of to get some field experience, which I hope will also help me get into my university's master program 'Conflict resolution, Negotiation and Governace' I think participating Soliya's facilitation training will be a great contribution to this, and I am very much looking forward to working with you the coming weeks.

Reijer

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SARA AFIFI (Egypt) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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SARA AFIFI (Egypt) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Hi All,

This is Sara Ahmed from Egypt . I am so happy to join the Soliya team and meet with all of you.

This is my graduation pic with 15 family members from all over the world during my scholarship in USA (July 2013- May 2014).

I love traveling and getting exposed to other cultures and wish to spend all my life travelling and facilitating people interaction .

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CLARA ROSE (US) -- (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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CLARA ROSE (US) -- (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Hi everyone! I'm Clara and I'm from Boston, Massachusetts in the USA. I've lived and worked in Amman, Jordan and Rabat, Morocco, and am moving to Israel/Palestine for the next year to do hydrology research. I'm interesting in using technology, whether it's computer tech or water tech, for peace-building and conflict resolution!

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GHAZIA ABBAS - (Pakistan) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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GHAZIA ABBAS - (Pakistan) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Hi all! As you have probably guessed, I'm Ghazia And I'm from Pakistan.

I'm currently doing my Honors in Biotechnology from Lahore (which some people have termed as the cultural hub of Pakistan). And I'm also working part time as a project manager in an NGO.

In my line of work, I've had a lot of exposure and I've loved every second of it; but the exposure that Soliya bought me was more profound in it's own special way which i could not have achieved from any other platform. I've already taken the first lesson on facilitation and it has given me a HUGE paradigm shift on what facilitation is supposed to be. And I really look forward to working with everyone else for the rest of the weeks!

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END OF TRAINING: I can't believe that today is the last session. Although in Pakistan, things are pretty bad at the moment. I'm still glad that I was able to learn so much here.

Just to give an update on what is happening here, a huge number of villages in Pakistan have flooded. There is an 8 foot flood in an area near us. Things are pretty bad here. But we are praying that it gets better!

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AMR KAMEL (Egypt) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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AMR KAMEL (Egypt) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Hello !! this is Amr Kamel from Cairo, Egypt, I am here because I believe that cross culture experiences is a way to know each other and to remind ourselves that we are all human no matter how different we are because we have a lot in common.

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END OF TRAINING: To the awesome G10, i created a Facebook group for us , so that we keep in touch,

please join the group : Soliya_BG10

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ELI AUSLANDER  (New York, US) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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ELI AUSLANDER  (New York, US) - (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Hello All, I’m Eli and I was raised on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. I was a part of Soliya’s connect program last Semester and thought it was a great experience; I was able to meet and speak with people from all around the world! It was awesome! So I decided to further my involvement with Soliya through this training. I am excited to begin working with all of you.

Best,
Eli Auslander

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Christine Rintoul (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Christine Rintoul (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Hi! I graduated from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota (USA) in May. I double majored in Social Work and Justice & Peace Studies.

I love spending time with my family, listening to music, going to concerts, watching old movies (like Charlie Chaplin films), and just sitting outside.

I applied to become a facilitator because I really enjoyed the Connect Program last semester, and I like that it is a way to meet people from around the world even though I cannot afford to travel at this time. I also thought it would be a good way to learn more facilitation skills beyond what I have learned in my social work classes and experience.

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Mohamed Meddeb (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Mohamed Meddeb (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Hi everyone!

I'm happy to meet you all. I am an IT engineer student in Tunisia and next year is my final year.

I love listening to music and the genre depends on my mood.

The other things I love the most are cooking and watching sunset .

I spend long times at top of mountains because it keeps in peace with nature.

I joined this training program because I enjoyed the experience so much last year that I want to take to then next level.

(PS): I am a normal person until you get to really know me :p

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Ryan Niezgocki (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Ryan Niezgocki (Basic Training - Aug 14')

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Hey everyone!

I'm Ryan, I am currently a junior at the University of St Thomas in St. Paul Minnesota (USA). I am majoring in political science with a focus in international relations.

I love to read and love photography even more.

I am training to facilitate because I hope to be involved in human rights law and conflict resolution as future career paths.

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Hi! I'm looking forward to meet you all!

I'm a Dutch girl who's spending about all her free time making and listening to music, and travelling anywhere. I have encountered many different people with different ideas and it always has been interesting to see ideas change and develop when talking to eachother. Sometimes it was difficult to communicate and understand because of the language. How different it is with music, a language that everyone speaks. The cliché is unbearable, but I hope that Soliya brings a little music and understanding to everyone who participates.

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This photo completely represent me. i'm passionate person for

old places and photography. the reason i took part in the training

is that it is a chance to have a free discussion to try to understand

different cultures opinion about topics that still cause a lot of trouble

and represent a barrier between the east and the west. looking forward

to meet you all.

p.s for ray .. i like the way you are holding the cam really a lot

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hello all! Excited to meet you !! i am An Arab living in Israel , i am passionate about music and horses! love nature and freedom ! the reason i participated in soliya is that i love to travel and discover new cultures and places , make new friends! so i cant wait to meet u guy's! i hope we will have amazing time chating and discovering new things together

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HI From Colleen in Massachusetta (USA)  - (Intensive Advanced - Aug 14')

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HI From Colleen in Massachusetta (USA)  - (Intensive Advanced - Aug 14')

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My name is Colleen and I live on the east coast of the USA. I am currently working a part time job in law, but am still trying to find the right career for me. I am hoping eventually to find a fulfilling job in Israel/Palestine, but I have a lot to learn first! I enjoy reading, traveling, spending time with my family, cooking, practicing yoga, learning about different cultures, and baking yummy desserts.

I have been really interested in the Middle East since I completed university, and I am especially interested in how American's think about and experience the Middle East. I am excited to train to be a part of a program that tries to bridge the distance and culture gap between 'The West' and the Middle East. I am interested in engaging in dialogue with people from different parts of the world, and look forward to learning from all of you. I think intercultural dialogue is important to remind us all that we are all simply human. :) I also hope this training will help me get more comfortable in a facilitation role, as I get really shy in front of people! I want to learn how to lead groups and contribute to dialogue that can connect to my previous academic studies of conflict resolution and reconciliation.

A FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Opening to our emotions, overcoming any blocks to our experience, opens us up and makes us more able to stretch toward our deepest values, because it’s more often than not an unwillingness to feel certain things that prevents us from living as we want. Our complicity with any part of the legacy of violence or domination we may have inherited from our families and societies came about through shutting down in the face of unbearable emotions. The willingness to feel again, especially uncomfortable emotions, is thus essential in order to find freedom again and choose nonviolence.”

http://mettacenter.org/nonviolence-for-daily-living/commitment-2-openness-to-the-full-emotional-range/
I value this quote because it talks about the value of dealing with difficult emotions and things in our past (or our peoples past) that we must deal with if we are to move forward in peace with ourselves and each other.
This picture below is from my brother's wedding two years ago, and it shows my whole family (I'm the second from the right!). I like the photo because I don't have many photos of all of my siblings and my parents too. And everyone looks so fancy, which is also unusual! :)

Looking forward to meeting you all!

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ROMERAL (Barcelona)  - (Intensive Advanced - Aug 14')

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ROMERAL (Barcelona)  - (Intensive Advanced - Aug 14')

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Hello everyone!

It is my pleasure to take part in the Soliya Advanced Training with all of you!

I am from Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain although I grew up in Brussels and have been living abroad for some time.

I have studied anthropology and international cooperation and for the last 5 years I have been working in projects aiming at empowering young people to play a meaningful role in peacebuilding and in promoting youth as key actors for positive change in their communities.

I love knitting, meditating, reading, spending time with my family, discovering new cultures, have powerful discussions with friends, jump and dance!

Here goes a quote I really like and that reflects very much the current moment I am experiencing in my life...

“There is a time to abandon the clothes that already have the shape of our body, and forget our ways, the ones that takes us to the same places. I t is time for the crossing, and if we do not dare do it, we will forever be at the margins of ourselves.”

Fernando Pessoa

The picture was taken last May in Serbia in a training I attended on conflict management, where we actually tried to review past convictions and not being afraid to be impro and creative.

I am really looking forward to this training as I wish to gain solid tools and competencies as facilitator, but most of all share perspectives with all of you and having fun! :)