That was incredible! I know I will cherish and treasure this experience for my whole life. Being able to see someone who has the same hopes and dreams as you across the world is just awe-inspiring. I thank you so much for this.

Being able to communicate with refugees from their camp, has always been something I wanted to do, but getting the opportunity to interact with them virtually surpassed by expectations. This initiative is the best and I encourage you to keep on using technologies to get people aware of the situation. The perk of having the chance to ask them questions that cannot be answered by the media was wonderful. If I could I would stay in this portal forever! Thank you so much. Elise (UN Intern)

Shared Studios came highly recommended to us, and they greatly exceeded our already high expectations….From the structuring and visioning of the ceremony, to the understanding of the technical capabilities, to the coordination of personalized graduate photos and quotes, to the final production details – Shared Studios were immaculate professionals and perfectionists. Since premiering our Virtual Commencement, we have heard only accolades. Shared Studios allowed for our school’s unique personality to shine in an extremely professional production, and we could not be prouder for what we produced for our graduates.

The conversation was easy, friendly and I highly recommend for the whole world to do this.

Shared Studios Stories Portal was a unique, engaging, and rewarding experience for our conference attendees. It was an eye-catching setup, but more importantly, it provided an opportunity for truly engaging, dynamic, and valuable interactions between people who would otherwise never had the chance to meet, share stories, support each other, ideate, etc. The conversations our attendees had with the two different groups in each Mali and Mexico were rewarding and valuable, for both parties. Watching people engage was incredibly rewarding, and our attendees felt the same having experienced the Stories Portal interactive experience. 

My experience was amazing! I had goose bumps and wanted to reach out and touch the screen. This is a new form of communication + A powerful concept – I really appreciate the opportunity to experience this portal to the other/self. We need more spaces where open dialogue can occur. Crossing political, cultural, geographic boundaries. These conversations remind us that we are bound more by our similarities than divided by differences. Thank you!

This is an amazing experience. Really works as art but as cultural diplomacy as well. Bravo!

It is truly amazing. If you do nothing else I ever ask you to do, just do this. What the Portal does, is it doesn't just give you those faces. It's not a newspaper. You feel you are right there.

It seem[s] like you're standing right in front of me. It's an amazing technology, but it also represents what this summit's all about which is young people from all around the world coming up with new ideas and making those ideas a reality. See, the good thing is when I sneeze, you have no danger of catching anything. It's one of the great advantages of…[the] Portal. I am glad that I had a chance to talk to you almost in person. It feels like you're standing right there... I want to go up and shake your hand... this is great.

This has changed my life. We need a forever Portal!

A terribly important art exhibit that instantly breaks down the arbitrary borders we put between countries.

Please allow we to thank everyone who has worked to put together this remarkable project. It is an exquisite and unforgettable experience! What would be a better way to facilitate communication in this era then to combine contemporary technology with the way we all have to talk and find connections with each other. I met Mahsa Biglow, the photography student and experiences with a number of noteworthy parallels. From our fondness of city walks at night to our appreciation of our recent skydiving trips, the proximity of our lives in form seemed to make the geographical distance in substantial. I cannot wait to return here and hear of the projects expansion to other cities. It is so rare to discover such ?? things in a short period of time, but ?? that is just my perception. Maybe the world and our lives one filled with so many more opportunities for these kind of things than we recognize, and the world’s live is more involved with subtle ?? than we typically perceive. So in summary, thanks again to all that put these elements in motion, who will keep it going, and to all who participate. And to others who have not tried it yet, enjoy.

So full in the light. Here. The Portal is a gift of presence, connection and oneness. I am so grateful to begin this day – in this way with a connection to a community of artists, a family of free thinkers. What a reflection of intention! What a powerful medium. So happy to be a part of this quiet, personal, passionate revolution of connection. So moved by the practice of our oneness. In the light. So full. Here. Best as ever, Sharese Bullock-Bailey

Wow. The whole experience felt so real! It was real! We are both married, and it was so eye-opening to hear how he spoke about his wife and kids. The deep respect he has for his wife, how happy he is to have kids, how much he thinks I should have kids! We are the same age, both run our own businesses, amazing. He was so thoughtful, so curious about me and my thoughts on the world. He openly acknowledged the difficulties between the US and Afghanistan, but he felt so much hope. Honestly, he had for more hope than I feel day to day, he has inspired me to keep writing my blog about different people and how they live around the world, and I am forever grateful for this opportunity.

Today is my birthday and I thought the best way to spend it was to “go” somewhere else. That somewhere else is here at the portal. I spoke to a wonderful artist who was photography as portraiture and projection amazing conversation about the process that we use as an artist to make work and what it means and what it can look like. I ful like and made a friend today. Best birthday present I could get.

It was absolutely beautiful. I wish this was compulsory education in high schools. If more people spent time interacting with people in other countries it might help address a multitude and issues. My conversation was full of joy and surprises – we had a few in common with each other – she studied cinema and scriptwriting, like me. We talked about film, documentary, independent cinema, and life in general. We talked about what it meant to be free, and she said she needed to live somewhere where she could write and create art with freedom. It was exceptionally moving – I want to do more!

A connection triggered. Lovely and almost ethereal.

What an incredible, powerful but off the same natural experience. I met Hama, a photography student in Tehran who had on infectious energy that you could feel despite the physical distance between us. We talked about stories and visions, little things and big things. She talked about Google like god, her “window to the world”. Hana encouraged me to write more, to share my story. We want to write together to create together. Thank you for curating this beautiful experience.