American Moroccan International Exchange

AMIE Story
At age 12, Iman Belali took action. She saw negative stereotyping of Arabs (in American media) and of Americans (in Arab media) and decided to make a change – at her level. Iman used a portion of her college fund to provide school supplies for 80 students in Chefchaouen, Morocco (where her grandparents were born) – the first step toward educating teens in Morocco and the US about the kindness and generosity of people in both countries.

In 2004, Iman founded the American Moroccan International Exchange to provide teens with the opportunity to further educate their minds and hearts through an international exchange program.

Our Vision

A world where cultural diversity offers peace and understanding.
A world where teens achieve their full potential in mathematics, technology, science and engineering.

Our Mission
American Moroccan International Exchange is dedicated to promoting peace, understanding and academic excellence by fostering cultural awareness through student exchange programs, one host family and one student at a time.

By bringing together teens from the US and Morocco, AMIE works passionately in an effort to further the concept of peace through cultural understanding.

Summer Camp Programs
Being academically educated, as well as aware of the world around us, is increasingly important and beneficial for today’s youth. Our American-Moroccan cultural exchange programs build solid foundations for our youth.

Each year, AMIE brings students together for a two-week program. AMIE alternates host countries annually. In 2007, AMIE will send 14 Moroccan students to the US, where they will experience American culture in the Pacific Northwest with 14 American students.

Funding Summary
AMIE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are funded by donations and grants; our staff is made up of volunteers who care about our cause. 100% of donations go directly to fund AMIE's international exchange programs.

AMIE Management Team
Our management team lives in America, and each member has either lived or traveled extensively in Morocco. We are passionate about sharing each culture with you. The opportunity to learn from another culture is like finding a part of yourself you may otherwise never know.

	Iman Belali, Honorary President and Founder As a 12-year-old American Arab, Iman decided to do something about the negative stereotyping of Arabs (in American media) and of Americans (in Arab media). She founded the American Moroccan International Exchange to help bridge the cultural divide and promote peace and understanding. Iman is a freshman in Liberty High School, Issaquah School District, in the State of Washington.
	Malika Belali, Founder and Board Director Malika runs most of AMIE’s summer camp logistics. Born in Morocco and raised in France, Malika attended Paris Sorbonne University, then moved to San Francisco, California in 1986. Today, Malika is a homemaker in the State of Washington and the mother of two girls (Iman and Sara).
	Lisa Marx, President Lisa brings with her a wealth of knowledge – not only about Morocco, but of Arab culture as a whole. Lisa was born and raised in Denmark, where she developed a great interest for other cultures and languages. She spent many years in the Middle East, where her family learned to truly appreciate and respect the culture of the Arab Nations.
	Dr. Shirley Blair Vice President Dr. Blair is a psychologist specializing in optimal development and mental agility. A vital part of positive change and well-being is confronting our culturally different worldviews, values, biases, and assumptions about human behavior and assimilating divergent ideas. Her education in Adlerian Psychology (one of the first social psychologists) promotes social justice, equality and respect through actively working to build bridges throughout our global community. is a licensed psychologist in Washington State. She re
	Heidi Blondin, Secretary A Seattle native, Heidi developed a love of travel and cultural exchange after spending a summer in her ancestral Croatia as a teen and attending a university program in France. In 2006, she and her husband spent a month traveling throughout Morocco. She joined AMIE to help young women broaden their world view.
	Faouzi Sefrioui, Treasurer Real estate developer, businessman since 1972. Commissioner, The Washington State Housing Finance Commission. Board member, The African Chamber of Commerce.
	Mohamed Belali, Board Director Mohamed was born and raised in Morocco; in 1986 he came to the US to attend college. Today, he is a Program Manager with Microsoft, serves as Board Director for multiple organizations and is the father of two girls (Iman and Sara). Mohamed chairs the sister cities commission in Issaquah WA
	Mike Pautz, Board Director Mike participated in an exchange program during his youth in Germany and fully appreciates the benefits and opportunities AMIE provides to young people. In 2005, Mike joined AMIE as a Board Director. He is an enthusiastic contributor in furthering Iman Belali's vision of creating greater cultural awareness between America and Morocco.
	Taraneh Sefrioui, Board Director Born and raised in Iran, Tara Sefrioui graduated from college in 1979 and came to Seattle, WA where she received a second Bachelor's degree and a Masters degree in engineering. She worked for the City of Seattle as a transit planner, and later as a consultant engineer for Centrac. She currently runs a successful retail business. Tara's husband is a native Moroccan; together they have a 21-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter. Tara strongly believes in closing the cultural gap between American and Moroccan teens. She joined AMIE in 2006.