I had goose bumps and wanted to reach out and touch the screen.

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!

I know I will cherish and treasure this experience for my whole life.

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.

This was one of the highlights of my life.

I am grinning. Overjoyed and inspired.

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. 

I am forever grateful for this opportunity.

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.

A connection triggered. Lovely and almost ethereal.

A connection triggered. Lovely and almost ethereal.

Art can change the world – and this project is an epic fresh step.

Can you please portal make all over the world! The longer I stayed inside, the more I realized the power of communication especially because people we’re told we shouldn’t communicate with! Art can change the world – and this project is an epic fresh step. Thanks for letting me be a part of it.

The Portal is a place where you lose yourself — however momentarily — and exist in a space with no time, place, language, constraint.

The Portal is a place where you lose yourself — however momentarily — and exist in a space with no time, place, language, constraint. The Portal is a type of control that allows for the most authentic human exchange — a conversation — so simple, yet undeniably profound.

The Portal was a very unique and sublime experience.

This was the best hour of my life.

This was the best hour of my life.

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

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

I just witnessed my husband communicate with a refugee in Germany that moved me beyond comprehension.

It changed the issues currently facing our world so much more real. This experience will stay with me forever, maybe for positive pleasure but also negative reasons from my own misconceptions. This changed me. I am so grateful for this deeply unique experience.

Thank you for a moving and provocative experience- and for democratizing the U.N.H.Q.

Thank you for a moving and provocative experience- and for democratizing the U.N.H.Q. (United Nations Headquarters)

Inspiring and groundbreaking.

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

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 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's an amazing technology, making it seem like you're standing right in front of me.

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.

I have never been to Iran, and this was my first time performing for an audience in Iran.

I had the best experience performing with Iranian-Kurdish sitar, tonbak, and daf player, Amir F! We played a few Kurdish songs together (he told me the names of some I only know from Youtube!) and discussed our favorite musicians, including violinist violin Mojtaba Mirzada. I have never been to Iran, and this was my first time performing for an audience in Iran. Endless thanks for an incredible opportunity!

I’ve worked at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum for 25+ yrs and I can honestly say that this is one of the best things we’ve ever done.

I’ve worked at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum for 25+ yrs and I can honestly say that this is one of the best things we’ve ever done.