Terror in Lahore - Again

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:00:00

TERROR IN LAHORE - AGAIN

Faizaan Peerzada

More than 25 people were killed in a series of coordinated attacks in the Pakistan city of Lahore last week. Faizaan Peerzada runs an art center in Lahore. On the evening of the day when the attacks took place, Faizaan drove through the city to the BBC studios to speak with Dick Gordon. Faizaan says he was willing to take the risk because his arts organization depends on international support.

In fact, on the day of the bombing Faizaan was in his office, putting the final touches on a children’s festival, an international celebration of peace that was to have taken place the next day. He had coordinated 600 children on both sides of the Pakistan/India border to work on a mural together. That project has now been postponed, and the future is uncertain for a larger event scheduled for next month, The World Performing Arts Festival. Faizaan Peerzada joins Dick to discuss the state of the arts in his country, and what that could mean for the future there.

Listen to Faizaan's first interview with Dick Gordon

AHMED’S DIARY - Building a home in baghdad

Ahmed's self portrait

Ahmed Abdullah files another in his ongoing audio diaries. Ahmed is now back in Iraq, and he says Baghdad has changed dramatically. It's so dangerous he's considering schooling his two children at home. Ahmed also has some big personal news: his wife is expecting a baby.

Listen to more from Ahmed's Diary

An Original Roller Derby Girl

Judy Sowinski

The sport of roller derby is getting a lot of attention this fall with the new movie, Whip It. Roller derby has a proud history as an American sport that's been played since the 1920s. It's one of the few high-powered contacts sports that put women in the spotlight. Judy Sowinski, also known as the Polish Ace, coaches the Penn-Jersey She-Devils in Philadelphia. But Judy had her own storied career in roller derby in the 60's when she was known as the Polish Ace. She joins Dick to talk about the sport then and now.

See pictures of Judy in action
See Judy with her current team, the Penn-Jersey She-Devils.
Judy and arch-rival Judy Arnold then and now

- Terror in Lahore - Again

Terror in Lahore - Again

TERROR IN LAHORE - AGAIN

AHMED’S DIARY - Building a home in baghdad

An Original Roller Derby Girl