AFS Intercultural Programs and Soliya Join Forces to Strengthen and Expand Global Intercultural Education

NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Two leading international organizations, AFS Intercultural Programs and Soliya, today announced that Soliya is now a non-profit subsidiary of AFS, bringing together two strong, mission-driven organizations with long-standing commitments to fostering global citizenship, expanding international education, and promoting intercultural understanding. This mutually strategic move reflects a conscious alignment of strengths, combining AFS's century-long legacy in intercultural exchange with Soliya's pioneering leadership in virtual exchange and facilitated dialogue.

Together, the organizations will create a continuum of intercultural experiences that link in-person mobility, virtual exchange, facilitated dialogue, hybrid learning, and leadership development, offering more accessible and inclusive pathways for people around the world to learn, connect, and lead. The combined entity will continue to champion the importance of intercultural competence in navigating a complex and interconnected world, building on a shared vision of a more peaceful and just global society.

Under the new structure, Soliya will retain its brand, programs, and identity while building on AFS's global footprint in over 50 countries, operational infrastructure, and century-long leadership in intercultural education. At the same time, AFS will be able to significantly amplify its impact and reach through Soliya's 300+ global university footprint, digital facilitation expertise, innovative program models, and decades of experience engaging young people in structured dialogue across divides. Both organizations expect this new structure to broaden their reach, diversify participation pathways, and significantly expand their shared mission.

A Moment that Demands Collective Leadership
This news comes at a pivotal moment. Societies worldwide are facing unprecedented polarization, declining trust, social fragmentation, and rising conflict. Data shows deepening divides and growing isolation among young people, leaving many without opportunities for meaningful cross-cultural connection.

AFS and Soliya, each independently strong, have chosen to come together now because the world urgently needs new models of connection that combine global reach with depth of engagement. This reflects confidence, vision, and a shared belief that the next era of intercultural education requires both mobility-based immersion and accessible, high-quality virtual and hybrid opportunities.

"This marks a transformative moment for intercultural education," said Daniel Obst, President and CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs. "Soliya's expertise in online dialogue and facilitation will accelerate and elevate our existing virtual programs and expand our collective ability to reach more young people globally. Soliya's expertise in digital dialogue perfectly complements our extensive history and global network in intercultural learning, enabling us to build even more bridges of understanding across cultures precisely when the world needs them most."

"Joining forces with AFS allows Soliya's mission to expand at a scale never before possible," said Cameron Chisholm, CEO of Soliya. "With AFS's global network and commitment to peace through understanding, we can create more pathways for people of all ages and backgrounds to engage meaningfully across divides. Together, we can meet this moment with purpose and optimism."

A Strength-to-Strength Alignment
AFS Intercultural Programs, with a legacy spanning over a century, began as the American Ambulance Field Service in World War I before transforming into a leading international secondary school exchange and intercultural learning organization. AFS is committed to helping individuals develop the knowledge and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. Operating through more than 50 independent organizations globally, AFS offers diverse international mobility and virtual programs, fostering a community of more than 1 million alumni, volunteers, and staff members worldwide. AFS holds Consultative Status with UNESCO and the UN Economic Social Council and has received numerous awards for its contributions to global citizenship education and UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

Soliya is an international non-profit organization with more than 20 years of experience designing and delivering high-impact virtual exchange programs and dialogue-based learning experiences for more than 75,000 alumni in 60+ countries and 33 U.S. states. In addition to connecting students across borders through facilitated online dialogue, Soliya is recognized as one of the leading global organizations for training dialogue facilitators, offering professional development for individuals and institutions seeking to strengthen communication across difference. Soliya works with universities, community organizations, companies, and governments to help people navigate polarization, build intercultural understanding, and develop the communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills needed to address complex challenges.

SOURCE AFS Intercultural Programs