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Iowa Communications Network: Connects to Iraq
12/15/2009

December 15, 2009

THE KARADAH PROJECT ASSISTS IN POSITIVE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa Communications Network (ICN) continues to share infinite possibilities by using its services and technology in promoting positive international relations.

The Baghdad Technical Institute, a two-year technical college in Karadah, Baghdad, Iraq, and Iowa Western Community College (IWCC) utilized ICN’s fiber-optic Network during a video session held on December 15, 2009. The two presidents and staff from Baghdad Technical Institute and IWCC attended the video session to discuss a potential sister college partnership program and to develop a future plan for collaborative meetings. The video session was organized by LTC Rick Burns, Army Reserve Officer.

Burns, from Elk Horn, is helping build lasting relationships through the Karadah Project, which began during his second tour in Iraq as an Army Civil Affairs Officer. Burns stated that both Baghdad Technical Institute and IWCC are two-year educational facilities, and can benefit from each other by building mentoring and partnering relationships through the exchange of curriculum information. The mission of the Karadah Project is to facilitate the transfer of ideas and the expansion of relationships between organizations and individuals in developed countries with like organizations and individuals in developing countries.

Burns said that the videoconference worked out well. “ICN is a tool for building relationships and interacting with individuals. This international videoconference was a starting point for a long-term partnering agreement. This was a move in the right direction and the beginning of what I hope will be more opportunities for students, kids, and teachers to interact and learn,” Burns stated.

ICN continues to offer free videoconferencing to Iowa families with loved ones serving in the military. Iowans may arrange to visit with family service members, from any branch of the military, who are serving in Al Assad, Fallujah, Camp Taqaddum, Camp Victory (Baghdad), Taji and Afghanistan. The videoconferences are provided at no cost to the family or soldier through ICN and the Operation Hometown Link initiative of the national non-profit Freedom Calls organization. For information on how to arrange a Freedom Calls videoconference, contact the ICN at 877-426-4692. For more information regarding the Karadah Project contact LTC Rick Burns at 712-249-7435.

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