by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC
A renowned Iraqi photojournalist who was born under the regime of Saddam Hussein and who spent two years imbedded with the U.S military will be sharing his experiences and photographs at Kansas City Kansas Community College this week.
Haider Hamza Newmani, who has been featured on Showtime, NPR and numerous other news shows, will present “From the Front Line.” The presentation is at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. March 31 in Room 2325 on the KCKCC Main Campus, 7250 State Ave. Admission is free and open to the public.
During the event, Newmani will share his unique perspective as not only a journalist, but as an Iraqi citizen, activist and family man. He has lived through four major wars, including the Iran/Iraq war, the Persian Gulf War and the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He witnessed even more conflict as a journalist, spending time as a war journalist during the U.S. “War on Terror” and covering the perspective of armed resistance in the Middle East as a freelance journalist.
It was during this time that Newmani was arrested, injured and kidnapped, losing several family members and friends. After graduating from Baghdad University, he received a Fulbright Scholarship and moved to the United States, where he finished graduate school majoring in Global Security and Conflict Resolution.
Among the events Newmani has covered are conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, the trial of Saddam Hussein, the killing of al Qaeda leaders and the violence and civil wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. His presentation will not only touch on his experiences, but will include photos and other visuals from his time as a war journalist and as an Iraqi citizen. He not only examines the losses of both sides involved in war, but also helps the audience understand what it is like living in a war zone from the perspectives of civilians, soldiers, rebel fighters and journalists.
For more information, contact Barbara Clark-Evans at 913-288-7504 or by email at [email protected].
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at KCKCC.