Samar Almadani of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia speaks with another Saudi National and recent masters degree recipient during the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission's Graduation Ceremony at the Gaylord Hotel, National Harbor, MD. The graduation ceremony is part of the higher education program initiated in the wake of September 11th to improve relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia as well as train the nation's next generation of leaders. Despite exposure to Western mores, many of the graduates in attendance expressed a desire to move back to Saudi Arabia and maintain their traditional values.
(photo by Melissa Golden)