World Arts and Culture Program

I propose a World Arts and Culture Program in a University environment. I am prepared to head the Arabic/Egyptian Dance, (Raqs Sharqi) department. This is to spearhead the growing interest and need for cultural awareness in our global economy and political environment. Instead of a melting pot of gray homogenized culture, we will benefit more from a mosaic of bright colors which represent and preserve the cultures of the many diverse worlds peoples.
President Obamas speech in Cairo deeply inspired me as I have been researching Egyptian Dance within the context of History and Culture for the past 10 years and travelled to Egypt 5 times in order to see behavior at it strongest in it's native environment. One thing I have learned is that all art from ethnic origins carrys deep and important meaning that we need in a very practical way. This is expecially true between the cultures of the Middle East and Arab World and the U.S. The key to diplomacy and peace lies in understanding.