World in Conversation

Royal Belgian Military Academy 

As a training facility for officers of all of the Belgian military branches, with much exposure to NATO, Belgium cadets participate in conversations with civilians in Afghanistan about issues such as war, security, and international relations.

Held dialogues with a PEPY Empowering Youth as a partnership through Bo Cleveland. Cleveland wanted his students to have conversations with PEPY students before traveling to Cambodia over spring break. PEPY students are children of parents who lived through the Khmer Rouge.

With collaborating universities in Chengdu and Wuhan, we hosted dialogues between American and Chinese students about culture, economy, and climate change. In addition, our staff traveled to Wuhan to facilitate dialogues and introduce faculty and students to facilitation.

Through our partnership with Colombia Se Escucha (a dialogue initiative), we are working with Universidad del Rosario.

Royal Danish Defense College

With fields of study specializing in interpreting and cultural competency, personnel from Forsvarsakademiet receive specialized conversations in Arabic about war, security, and international relations with Afghan civilians.

Shortly after the Egyptian revolution in 2011, we connected to HOTEP, a center for peace in Cairo to discuss the revolution and what was happening in Egypt.

We hosted a dialogue in partnership with Imagine1Day and Addis Ababa University.

Bundeswehr University Munich

In this federal research university in Germany, dialogues were coordinated to further study cross-cultural competency between military students and civilians living in a conflict zone.

We hosted dialogues between Penn State students and refugees from Syria who were living in Northern Greece.

We have collaborated with various teams of Iranian college students in Isfahan, Tehran, to examine cultural differences, war, and international relations.

Mosul, Iraq

Through Basim Razzo, we partnered with the University of Mosul. We hold dialogues with students from their Translation Department and English Department.

Erbil, Kurdistan

We hold cross-cultural dialogues with students from Knowledge University in Erbil, Kurdistan. Connected through Basim Razzo.

In parallel with our Palestinian dialogues, we host dialogues with civilians in Israel and American students to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as conflict and war writ large.

Accademia Aeronautica is a training institute for Air Force officers that was one of our earliest collaborators. Their cadets participate in dialogues with Afghan civilians about conflict, war, and security issues.

In partnership with the AWARE Center (Advocates for Western Arab Relations), we trained facilitators and hosted dialogues between American and Kuwaiti students.

Partnering with Elaine Flemming over several semesters, we hosted dialogues between undergraduates from Penn State, Leech Lake Tribal College and students from our global partner universities.

Netherlands Royal Military Academy

As a training facility for officers of all of the Dutch military branches, participating personnel from Koninklijke Militaire Academie, represent a wide array of experience levels. These future officers participate in conversations with civilians in Afghanistan about issues such as war, security and international relations.

Collaborating site locations in Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta.

In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the past five years we have trained facilitators and hosted one-time and semester-long dialogues between Palestinian students and students from the United States, Qatar, and Israel.

Polish National Defense University

Poland’s premier joint professional military education institution educates military and civilian leaders through teaching, research and engagement to serve the common defense. Military personnel participate in dialogues with Afghan civilians about issues related to deployment, military intervention, and security.

In partnership with St. Petersburg University (Smolny College). Dialogues are hosted between Russian liberal arts students and American students. Connected through Polina Checherina.

We hosted dialogue between Saudi women working with Rayah Al Gheitny (a former WinC facilitator) and American women on the topic of gender and the differing roles of women in the respective cultures.

We are in the process of piloting dialogues with Konkuk University to determine the possibility of a partnership there

We hosted dialogue between students in Thailand and the United States about cultural differences and international issues.

United States Universities (NATO)

We partner with Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at Penn State, Old Dominion University, and University of Pittsburgh. The students who are future military officers participate in dialogues with civilians in conflict zones (e.g., Afghanistan, Palestinian territories, Iran, Pakistan, etc.) about issues related to deployment, military intervention, and conflict.