Student Profile
Vitals:
Name: Declan Galvin
Graduation Year: 2010
Hometown: Warren, Maine
Major: Self Designed Major - Cultural and Ethnic Studies
Weekend Activity: Spending time with friends
Declan Galvin, soon to be a sophomore at Manhattanville College, spent two weeks in Syria during the summer of '07 from July 28th to August 12th. He was one of nine college students from the United States chosen to take part in the American Mid-East Leadership Network’s first U.S.-Syrian Future Leaders Program, which was held in Damascus. The AMLN is best described by its mission statement to…“bridge professionals, educators and philanthropists from the Middle East and the United States through educational and cultural exchanges, which will inspire the emergence of future leaders in both regions who are equipped with a more thorough understanding of each other's cultural, religious and political lives.”
This trip was particularly significant because it was the first time that a group of students from the United States had ever visited Syria. “It was an amazing experience,” said Declan. “The main focus of the trip was to use dialogue to break down barriers. Our group met with the Syrian student delegation and we discussed issues such as identity, stereotypes and media perceptions. One of the realizations both groups came to was how much the American and Syrian media sometimes exaggerates our differences, and how easy it is to accept that message without questioning it.” While there, the American delegation also took Arabic language classes, visited an Iraqi refugee camp, toured historic sites, and met with religious leaders and government officials. “For me, the most memorable person we met was the Grand Mufti, who is the Islamic religious leader of Syria,” said Declan. “He was so very kind, and I feel he is very representative of the Syrian people. He answered all of our questions, and was very interested in where each of us came from within the United States. He loves the idea of this cultural exchange and wants more Americans to come to Syria.”
Declan first heard of this opportunity with the AMLN from Paolo Tagatac, the Global Citizenship Coordinator in Manhattanville’s Duchesne Center. “Paolo and others in the Global Citizenship Office were really responsible for me being able to go on this trip,” said Declan. “They recommended me to the AMLN, and aided in the fundraising process by helping me write letters to potential sponsors. Since this was the first time I had ever gone abroad, Paolo also gave me invaluable advice about the visa and passport process.”
Reflecting on the trip, Declan says that he left Syria with the impression that relations between the United States and Syria are fixable. “In our dialogue with the Syrian students and others that we met, one of the things that came across was how much they appreciated the fact that we had reached out to learn more about them. One of the students told me that this act alone made him think of Americans in a different light. I believe that there needs to be more cultural exchanges to the Middle East.”
Declan is currently majoring in Cultural and Ethnic Studies, a major he self designed. He is also minoring in Genocide Studies and African Studies, and hopes to eventually go to graduate school at Columbia University. To learn about Declan's '08 trip to Africa, click the bottom link under "See Also."
Inline Photo: U.S. and Syrian students in an ancient theater in Palmyra, Syria