It is now 10 a.m. Nasar and crew of "I Love New York Pizza" are ready for the lunch crowd, hoping for a busy day, bringing their American dreams that much closer.

"New York" style pizzas are made by an Egyptian, strombolis by a French-speaking Moroccan, and spicy Buffalo wings by a Guatemalan here -- three different languages, cultures and national histories working side-by-side pursuing their American dreams together.

Carryout Chinese food was once the exclusive domain of cooks from China, but now Mexicans prepare them with equal ease and taste. Similarly, pastas are being made by North Afrikaners with familiarity that Italian immigrants once dominated.

The Great Society of the late President Lyndon B. Johnson is a reality here as patrons from various nationalities, cultures and races will have come, eaten and gone, making this hidden eatery at New Hope Commons an international crossroads for Chapel Hill and Durham.

Nasar, a 47-year-old from the city of Port Said in Egypt, is the manager. All who walk through the double sets of doors to the counter get a smile. He left his family in 1990, flying 12 hours across the Atlantic Ocean and arriving in New York City.

He acquired the necessary business skills by working 13 years in a Manhattan pizza parlor before leaving the Big Apple. Then his entrepreneurial travels took him to the states of Minnesota, Connecticut and eventually, North Carolina.

"America is good...good country...nice people," Nasar says, which is important for him as he gets to see his family only twice a year when he flies back to Egypt.

Hassan, the assistant manager, is a Moroccan from Casablanca. At 36 years of age, his movements are quick but sure as he darts back and forth between the preparing tables in the rear, serving the customers and working the register.

He beat incredible odds in 1997 by being selected randomly by the State Department's "Diversity Visa Lottery" program as one of 55,000 out of over 7 million applicants. Hassan received a green card allowing him entry into the United States. The rest of his life was up to him.

He also moved to North Carolina after spending time in New York hoping for greener, southern pastures. He saw a "Help Wanted" ad in 2006, applied and has been at the restaurant since.

Hassan appreciates the various ethnicities and languages he sees daily, noting how people are "more free" here. His view of life is that "...dreams never come true...so you have to limit your dream[s]." Still, if possible, he wants to open a car dealership or his own food establishment.

When the subject of September 11, 2001, arises, Nasar's smiling demeanor changes to one of somber reflection. "9/11 was bad...as an Egyptian, as Arab people," he says, meaning everyone was affected.

For Hassan, the assistant manager, that day "was a big surprise for Moroccan people...[we had] nothing to do with that, but my mom called me that day and cried when she heard the news."

He speaks softly but with conviction that "Islam is a religion for peace." When asked if the West has somehow misunderstood his faith, he clarifies, "There is politics and there is religion."

The Statue of Liberty is 500 miles north of Chapel Hill and Durham, yet the restaurant's name, "I Love NY Pizza," is a reminder of America's immigrants who preceded Nasar and crew.

Can pasta serve as a diplomatic tool for improving international relations? For pizza lovers, it closes the disparity created from superficial differences of race and nationality by focusing on what humanity has in common.

Perhaps the elusive peace of mankind can be achieved after all...one slice at a time.

Augustus Cho is the author of "Great Light Will Shine." He can be reached at augustuscho@gmail.com.

Editors Note: Augustus Cho has been a regular contributor to "My View." This is his last column before he begins his campaign for mayor of Chapel Hill.