Iraq

Five alumni from the 2005-06 cohort competed for a scholarship sponsored by the American University of Beirut (AUB). The scholarship was awarded to Dleen `06, and tuition fees until graduation, accommodation and a monthly stipend.

Dleen arrived in Beirut in September 2007 to begin classes at AUB. She is currently studying in the faculty of Engineering and Architecture, majoring in Architecture. According to one of her recent e-mails, Dleen is doing great at AUB, has learned a lot about Lebanon and has made many friends.

Shko `05 and Aso `07 volunteered as interpreters for the Iraq National Unity Performing Arts Academy. At the Academy, renowned American specialists give training in music, jazz, dance and theatre to approximately 300 artists from all over Iraq. The US Embassy and the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Culture partnered with the US nongovernmental organization American Voices to sponsor the Academy, the first project of its kind in the country.

Aso also hosted a live show called: “Good Morning Kurdistan” developed by a Kurdish Satellite Television channel based in Salahaddin/Erbil. During the show, Aso spoke about his experience on the YES program in 2006-07 and the challenges and advantages of being in a different country with a different culture.