We have a great story to share with you today!

Alexander Blass participated in the Arab American Business Fellowship program this October and has returned to the U.S. ready to start his journey as a citizen diplomat.  He recently sent U.S. Center President & CEO Ann Schodde a letter about his experience and how it has affected his outlook.  The Center thanks him for allowing us to post this excellent example of citizen diplomacy in action.

Dear Ann,

I just wanted to tell you again how much of a pleasure it was to meet you, and how extraordinary the 2009 Arab and American Business Fellowship experience was for me.  I am deeply grateful for having had this opportunity, and I can’t thank you enough!  Please allow me to share some of my thoughts with you as I reflect on the past several weeks, and I know that all of my fellow Fellows feel the same way.

I believe expressions such as “transformational” and “life changing” are often overused in our culture, but they genuinely describe my feelings about this trip.  This was without question, one of the most exceptional experiences I have ever had.  This fellowship has moved me and opened my eyes and mind in ways I could not have fathomed or predicted.  The Palestinian portion of the trip was by far the most impactful for me, both as an American, and as an American who happens to be Jewish.  With Dubai, it was unbelievable and impressive (as typically portrayed in the media), and I look forward to going back soon as well.  When it comes to Palestinians, the media coverage in America is often negative.  We tend to hear about the sensational stuff, as it may sell more newspapers; not the everyday, wonderful people, who comprise the vast majority.  They are just trying to get by, put food on the table, provide for their families, build successful businesses, live fulfilling lives, and make the best of what is a very challenging situation for everyone.

For a little background on me, as the American-born child of a Holocaust survivor from Hungary, my siblings and I were given a strong education in and appreciation for our faith and history, as parents often strive for in any culture.  I visited Israel when I was in college, but never Palestine, and had not returned to the region at all for a very long time.  I mention this because I think it is important to note that everyone comes into a new situation from their own background and perspective.  Unfortunately until now I never had the opportunity to truly see the situation from the Palestinian point of view, in their own land, in their own words.  As someone born, raised, educated, and living in the United States, I certainly am not naïve enough to claim to be some newly minted expert on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict after a brief visit to the region.  But I do now have a far, far greater and deeper appreciation for the complexities and challenges of the situation, and its real impact on the Palestinian people.

The similarities with my own culture amazed me, not just in Palestine, but across the Arab nations we visited.  The language, the culture, the people, the religion, the architecture, the food.  Ironically, once I was there, I felt more at home than I ever could have imagined.  From my perspective, I truly felt like I was with old friends–or if I may be so bold to say–even long lost relatives.  I believe I have made a number of lifelong friends on this trip, whom I deeply respect and admire.

Although the official program has ended, for me I know that the journey has just begun.  I will be honored to go back to the region to share my business expertise with the Arab world’s next generation of aspiring entrepreneurs as well as business leaders in Palestine, Dubai, Jordan, and elsewhere.  I will try to encourage some of my media contacts to share more positive stories of success from that region with their audiences, of which I have now personally witnessed countless examples.  Locally and regionally, I will share my extremely positive experiences there with friends, family, colleagues, as well as larger audiences.  I hope to encourage them to separate the people from the politics, and hopefully visit these extraordinary places and people as well one day to see the reality for themselves.  It is easy for one to dislike or unfairly stereotype a diverse community when they are merely an abstract concept or a soundbite.  I feel that it is not just my pleasure and privilege to educate people on what I encountered, but that it is now also my responsibility to try to help break some of the cultural stereotypes and misunderstandings.

I have no doubt that I can depend on the Arab Fellows on the program to do the same, in reverse, in their communities, having visited the United States and meeting wonderful, respectful people here as well.  I also recognize that when one doesn’t know the native language of a region, it can add additional barriers to communication and cultural understanding. Therefore, I have decided to study Arabic to at least hold a basic conversation.

I will never forget the people I met, the places I saw, and the things I learned and experienced first hand.  Although I am now back in America, the images that remain in my mind from the Middle East are extremely powerful.  Believing in the expression “talk is cheap,” I will be returning to this extraordinary part of the world at the earliest opportunity, and strive to do my part to make a positive contribution.  My goal is to be an ambassador of change for what the fellowship stands for, and the complementary missions of both BDA and YAL.

Thank you again for the opportunity, as well as your time, generosity, and insight.

ma’a ehtranme wa takderee,

Alexander Blass

President & CEO

Alexander Blass International

If you would like to contact Alexander Blass, visit www.alexanderblass.com

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Have you had a recent eye-opening experience abroad?!

If you have, we want to hear it!  The Center is collecting stories and experiences, so we would love to hear from you! You can either post a comment or send Derek an email at dforsythe@uscenterforcitizendiplomacy.org.

All stories will be posted on our website in an effort to show interested citizen diplomats what a great experience traveling abroad really is, so we hope you will share your story!