Global Nomads Group and Polycom Remove Cultural Barriers Between U.S. and Arab Students through International Educational Program
Interactive video conferencing program aims to invoke understanding among K-12 students through face-to-face dialogue
PLEASANTON, Calif., and NEW YORK - Nov 27, 2007 : Global Nomads Group (GNG), an organization dedicated to fostering cross-cultural dialogue and understanding among youth, and Polycom, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM), the world's leading provider of unified collaborative solutions, today announced the International PULSE video conferencing program, Arab World and the U.S. The five-part interactive educational program runs Dec. 4-11 and will connect more than 30 K-12 schools across the United States to schools in Cairo, Egypt so students can collaborate and share their cultures, religions, traditions and histories using highly interactive, face-to-face video communications.
GNG believes that many misperceptions have formed since the events of Sept. 11, 2001for U.S. citizens regarding the Arab world, and vice versa. While the reality is that the United States has had a successful working relationship with Arab countries for many years, students are rarely exposed to the rich culture and history of the 22 countries and more than 250 million people living in that area of the world. The International PULSE program will address misconceptions and stereotypes that people in U.S. and Arab countries have of one another and present the opportunity for students to act as ambassadors for their respective countries. Educators will be able to elect from a series of video conference programs on topics including: women issues, roles, rights, and experiences; history and culture (broadcast from the Pyramids); religions of the book, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (broadcast from Mt. Sinai); and culture and conflict.
"Reversing some of the misconceptions that have accumulated among America's youth since 9/11 requires face-to-face interaction with students of the same age in the Arab world," said Chris Plutte, co-founder of Global Nomads Group. "A common misconception is that all Arabs are Muslim, and that all Americans are rich and only care about what is happening within their borders. However, there are Christian Arabs and a broad range of religious minorities throughout the Middle East of Arab descent. And we certainly know that not all Americans are isolationists. Using Polycom's video conferencing technology, students are able to discuss and correct these global issues face-to-face using high-quality, real-time collaboration."
GNG will be connecting U.S. and Arab students using Polycom VSX™ 8000 conference room video systems and Polycom PVX™, a secure desktop video conferencing application that delivers business-quality video communications through a PC and USB Web camera. All sessions will be recorded, archived and streamed through the Polycom Readi Streaming Server (RSS™) 2000.
"Global Nomads Group continues to bring valuable educational programs to students, both domestically and abroad, that encourages students to learn about diverse cultures and regions of the world," said Bob Hagerty, chairman and CEO of Polycom. "Building a 21st century classroom through technology and collaboration has a global impact. We applaud GNG's mission to encourage face-to-face communications among students as a means to raise global harmony and understanding."
About Global Nomads Group
Global Nomads Group (http://www.gng.org) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to fostering cross-cultural dialogue and understanding among youth. Using videoconferencing and satellite communications technology, GNG moderates conferences between K-12 classes in different countries, organizes virtual lectures, and conducts remote broadcasts from the world's historical and cultural sites.
About Polycom
Polycom, Inc. is the worldwide leader in unified collaborative communications (UCC) that maximize the efficiency and productivity of people and organizations by integrating the broadest array of high definition video, wired and wireless voice, and content solutions to deliver the ultimate collaborative experience. Polycom's high quality, standards-based conferencing and collaboration solutions are easy to deploy and manage, as well as intuitive to use. Supported by an open architecture, they integrate seamlessly with leading telephony, workplace wireless telephony, and presence-based networks. With its market-driving technologies, best-in-class products, alliance partnerships, and world-class service, Polycom is the smart choice for organizations seeking proven solutions and a competitive advantage from on-demand communications and collaboration. For additional information, call 800-POLYCOM or visit the Polycom Web site at www.polycom.com.