Aqsa Reality brings Al-Aqsa into immersive view through VR, with presentations, Q&A, and headset experiences at The Jerusalem Fund.

The Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development will host an evening with Dr. Mohammad F. Obeid (Shenandoah University) and Dr. Ermin Sinanović (Center for Islam in the Contemporary World at Shenandoah University), to introduce Aqsa Reality, a virtual-reality app that allows users to explore Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem in an immersive way.

Over the course of the program, Dr. Obeid, who leads the design and development of Aqsa Reality, and Dr. Sinanović, who directs CICW’s wider work on Islam in the contemporary world, will talk about how the project came together, what it offers to students and communities who may never be able to visit Al-Aqsa in person, and how virtual reality can be used as a tool for public education about Jerusalem and Palestine.

After a joint presentation and Q&A, participants will have the chance to experience Aqsa Reality themselves using VR headsets in small groups. Staff and speakers will be available for informal conversation throughout the evening. Light refreshments will be served.