Transcript of the Video of the American Corner in Akko Opening Ceremony 

American Corner Director Farihan Kharouf:
This is a meeting of Educators – and every educator brings the good things that they have, to learn from the other educators and at the same time, coordinate and share knowledge and, sometimes, present a new way of thinking.  I see the American Corner in Akko being a success.  The American Corner will look at what the Akko population needs and find its place here.  This is the basic purpose of the American Corner.  We would like to see you visit it.  Welcome to Akko!

Director, Akko Community Center, Ahmad Sawaeed:
With the cooperation and initiative of the American Embassy in the founding of the American Corner, along with our help, is the root of the approximately year and a half long cooperation that has brought us to this day, where we are inaugurating this program that is so very needed by the local people.  Our expectation from the Embassy for the future, God willing, will be for more cooperation and more programming so that we can further help the people of this city, not only the people of Akko, but all of the nearby areas consisting of Jews, Arabs and all religions of the Arab world, from the Kibbutzim and Akko, so that we can assist them in getting acquainted with American education and to improve their English and to have cooperation with the people of America, the Arabs and the Jews.

Counselor for Public Affairs of the American Embassy – Andrew Koss:
Good evening.  Welcome ladies and gentlemen to this very special event.  We are so proud to be opening the American Corner in Akko this evening.  I have visited many American Corners around the world, but this is by far the most beautiful one and probably the most special one that we have anywhere in any country in the world. 

Ambassador James B. Cunningham:
Thank you very much.  I have been in this career for more than 30 years and I can assure you that this is the most spectacular setting for an American Corner that I have seen also.  So, congratulations to everybody who made this happen.  Perhaps Greek historians got it right when they referred to this city as “Aca” meaning “cure.”  We are confident that this new American Corner will further my Embassy’s effort to extend the message of co-existence between Arabs and Jews in Israel.

Mayor of Akko Shimon Lankri:
Now, the children of Akko, both Arabs and Jews, have better chances for self-development and achievements.  I do believe that the American Corner will provide a user-friendly atmosphere for the children of Akko.

American Folk Musician Peter Yarrow:
What made this gathering special for me – it is the kind of building block of people to people that must exist – not the top down but the human beings up and it included Jews; it included people of Arab speech from various perspectives; and music from not only the Israeli and the Arab Jewish perspective, but also Americans were able to play a part.  That made me very proud because it was a moment not of conceptual peace but literal peace.