Books, literacy and war

[susanstinson]

My friend Erika is involved in this, and I'm thinking of going tonight to check it out.




Mark your calendars for:

Learning in a Time of War
Tuesday, November 29, 7pm
Northampton Center for the Arts, 17 New South St. - across from the
Academy of Music)

On Tuesday evening, November 29, community members from across the region
will gather at the Northampton Center for the Arts for Learning in a Time
of War, the inaugural event for the year-long project, Books Building
Bridges.

The event is free and open to all. Learning in a Time of War will examine
the impact of war on literacy, libraries and education both in the United
States and in Iraq, and will offer audience participants many ways to get
involved.

Featured speakers include:
Safaa Al-Hamdani, Professor of Biology at Jacksonville State University
and Founder of Books For Baghdad

Michèle Cloonan, Dean and Professor of the Graduate School of Library &
Information Science at Simmons College

Pamela Schwartz, Outreach Director, National Priorities Project

Jeff Spur, Islamic and Middle East Specialist at the Documentation Center
of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, Fine Arts Library,
Harvard University

Books Building Bridges seeks to illuminate the connection between
literacy, access to education and the building of a truly free and just
society both in the U.S. and in Iraq; and to highlight the impact of war
and occupation on libraries, schools, adult basic education programs and
literate/ informed communities.

For more information, please call the American Friends Service Committee
(413.584.8975) or Food For Thought Books (413.253.5432), or visit us
online at BooksBuildingBridges

Comments

[beccawrites.livejournal.com]

thanks so much, susan! i just added baghdadburning (a blog that the site links to) to my friends list. it seems really good and worth reading.

[susanstinson.livejournal.com]

I read a bit of that blog -- so intense. Electricity for three hours a day in Iraq, if they're lucky. Libraries and universities sacked. And all.

[beccawrites.livejournal.com]

i just read the first one about some murders and more educated folks fleeing the country... it's so much to take in, that it's really overwhelming to me, but i'm trying to be less head-in-the-sand about it. you know?

[susanstinson.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know. Me, too.