College of Charleston students are getting a first-hand look at the Arab Spring and other cultural changes in Egypt – without leaving campus. Using videoconference capabilities, they will have a discussion with students in Cairo, Egypt. The students will speak in English and control both the topics and the pace of conversation. The discussion will take place on April 22, 2012 from 10 until 11 a.m. at the College of Charleston.   Students will meet in the Admissions Office conference room, Room 108 (at 65 George Street).

The College of Charleston students are enrolled in “Conflict and Peace in the Middle East” with professor Ali Demirdas. This conversation will be the third time this semester the students have been in contact, but this is the first campus-wide event of its kind.

“I hope these discussions will give our students a greater understanding of Arab youth and their reaction to Arab Spring, a revolutionary wave of protests that began in 2010,” says Ali Demirdas, faculty member of international studies. “Our students only know what they read or see on TV. Through these conversations, they will know what Egyptian people their age think as well as enabling them to develop a global understanding of the world.”

“This program was developed through the vision of Hilton Smith, member of the School of Languages, Cultures and World Affairs (LCWA) Advisory Board,” says Dean David Cohen. “The program embodies the original mission of Mr. Smith and his late father-in-law to help further globalize the College of Charleston’s student body through a belief in the importance for Americans to take interest and have respect for other cultures around the world. We are grateful for his vision and support.”

If you have any questions, contact Ali Demirdas at demirdasa@cofc.edu.