Open Hands is a public diplomacy organization dedicated to "improving people-to-people understanding and international friendship through exchanges and other projects that focus on our basic shared values and common humanity.

"[1] Mr. Snyder established the organization following President Barack Obama's 2009 speech in Cairo, which talked of America's willingness to extend an open hand to the Muslim world.

Programming focuses on grassroots-level exchanges for American and international youth in the fields of health equity, disability rights, media, arts and culture, and conflict resolution.

These exchanges were aimed at promoting free expression and providing intensive media training (photo, video, and print) for emerging, young journalists and reporters: "Covering a Revolution" and "A Burmese Journey" (aka "Burma Telling Its Own Story".

Special guests who attended the programs in Egypt and Myanmar include Ambassador Anne Patterson,[8] April 6 youth leader Ahmed Maher,[9] Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi,[10] Bertil Lintner, and others.