Photo By Sgt. David Hodge | An Iraqi boy, a student from al Khartoum primary school in the Rashid District of...... read more read more
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By Sgt. David Hodge
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – "All for Iraq" adorns the light blue flags held by Iraqi children, Nov. 12, as they recited Iraq's national anthem during a live video teleconference at the Forward Operating Base Falcon's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center.
The cultural exchange video teleconference between Iraqi and American children began with the opening remarks from Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, the commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Multi-National Division – Baghdad.
"We have a program in Baghdad with 31 Iraqi and American schools partnered with 11 different states in America," Hammond explained to the teachers, students and leaders on both sides of the world. "The School Partnership Program continues to build and grow in all directions."
More than 20 Iraqi children from the al Khartoum Primary School in the Shurta community of southern Baghdad gathered at Forward Operating Base Falcon to participate in a question and answer VTC with a group of their peers from Nolanville Elementary School in central Texas.
"My experience is that the young school-age children in Iraq are no different than the children in America," stated Hammond, who hails from Hattiesburg, Miss, who explained that the program is designed to foster communications between Iraqi and American youths and develop a better understanding of the different cultures.
During the exchange, the two sides asked questions and made remarks on a multitude of subjects, such as school, life and culture.
"I was very pleased to talk to the American students, and I was well educated on how their educational system works," said Aseel Mazin, a 12-year-old girl, in what is the Iraqi equivalent to 7th Grade in American schools. "I got to learn what their daily schedule is like too."
The conference offered a chance for Iraqi teachers and students to experience the cultural warmth and good will the Americans exude, said Maj. T.J. Reed, civil affairs officer assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div.
"We will foster a cultural change to a time of enlightenment – not to change Iraqis to be like Americans but to exercise their freedoms and make their own decisions," explained Reed, who calls Las Cruces, N.M., his home.
Interactions between the schools will continue to blossom and extend into high school and college for both sets of children, said Reed.
Many of the student's parents, residents of Nolanville, a neighboring town of Fort Hood, are service members currently deployed with the 4th Inf. Div. in Iraq. In fact, Reed's 11-year-old daughter, Jordan, participated in the event with the rest of her class.
"Jordan was very excited about finding out what her father experiences on a daily basis, interacting with Iraqis," Reed said. "She is always interested in the stories I tell her about life at home in America being different than life in Iraq."
Following a question by an American student about the Arabic language, an Iraqi child asked why Americans do not learn the Arabic language in their school.
"It's not really in our curriculum," answered Jordan, whose response brought about laughter.
Hand-painted banners displaying cultural symbolism and national pride filled the television screen after the question and answer portion of the VTC.
Hammond said he believes the children are a nation's greatest credentials, and that is a major factor in the government of Iraq and coalition forces' decision to invest in schools across Baghdad.
During the past year, he added, coalition forces renovated approximately 267 schools and more than 350 this year.
A GoI official offered his thanks to coalition forces for helping with the Iraqi educational system.
"This meeting represents a good will between these children," said Satter Muhammed, deputy general of the Karkh II School District. "Be assured that Iraqis' memory is deep, and we will never forget this. We will pay our friends back."
The Soldiers of the 1st "Raider" Brigade and the 4th Inf. Div. headquarters are currently serving a combat deployment in support of MND-B and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
| Date Taken: | 11.14.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2008 07:29 |
| Story ID: | 26337 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 194 |
| Downloads: | 184 |
This work, Cultural borders extended during Iraqi, American video teleconference, by SGT David Hodge, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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