Over Spring Break, Rye Arts Center Director, Adam Levi and BPF Founder, Kim Tamalonis met with Rami Khalaf, Shared Studios‘ portal director at the Harsham Refugee Camp in Erbil, Iraq. We met in respective shipping containers, one in Erbil and one in Rye, New York. The portals, equipped with floor-to-ceiling video screens, allow people to meet each other and converse in real time. Rami suggested that we get kids together. Despite last minute phone calls over a school vacation, 7 kids readily jumped at the opportunity to make new friends at the Iraqi portal site. During the meeting, the Rye kids asked the Iraqi kids if they wanted to join the Big Picture Foundation and collaborate or share art projects. When the Iraqi kids enthusiastically joined, the New York crew offered to send a small fund for art supplies to the refugee camp.
Kids at Harsham Receive Supplies
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Rye, NY Kids, Meet with Iraqi Children in a Shipping Container
