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Ahmed's Diary
Ahmed Fadaam is Dick Gordon's former fixer and translator based in Baghdad. Ahmed was a sculptor. Then the war came, and he learned to make his living as a photographer and reporter. He came to the U.S. in May 2008. He is keeping an audio diary and does regular interviews for The Story. Podcast: Ahmed's DiaryÂ
Ahmed's Diary for November 10, 2009
Tuesday, November 10 2009
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Ahmed's Diary - Just another day in Baghdad
Ahmed's self portrait
Ahmed Fadaam, The Story's regular diarist, has just started a new job in Baghdad. He was on his way to work recently when he felt his car shake: a massive bomb had exploded in the city. Soon after, Ahmed got word his brother might have been injured. His tells the story in the latest installment of Ahmed's Diary.contact us
Ahmed's Diary - Back in Baghdad
Monday, August 10 2009
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Ahmed's Diary - Back in Baghdad
Ahmed's self portrait
Ahmed Fadaam keeps an audio diary for The Story. In the beginning the diary captured one man's experiences during the war. But it has become much more than that. Listeners have followed Ahmed through Baghdad streets, and then here to the U.S. Ahmed came to the state to take a break from the stresses of daily life in Iraq. During his time here he relaxed, and worked on his art. But as regular listeners know, Ahmed has gone back to Baghdad, to the city he loves. Today he shares a new audio diary, one that explores his reunion with his family, and his first sight of home.
Ahmed Goes Home
Friday, May 15 2009
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AHMED GOES HOME
Ahmed Fadaam
Back in 2006, when the war in Iraq was at its worst, The Story began checking in with an Iraqi artist turned journalist named Ahmed Fadaam. His regular diary entries won numerous journalistic awards. After Ahmed received a death threat, supporters in North Carolina found a way to bring him to the United States. He's been living in Chapel Hill for the last year.
As Ahmed tells Dick Gordon, it's been a beautiful year. He's been doing art again, finding some peace. But when it comes down to it, Baghdad remains his home. Ahmed leaves today for Syria, where he'll be reunited with his wife and kids. After that, he'll return to Baghdad to see if it's safe enough to bring his whole family back home.
- See photos of Ahmed's statue "Civilization" at Elon University
- See videos of when "Civilization" was vandalized and rebuilt
- See photos of Ahmed at work
Ahmed: Art and War
Monday, August 25 2008
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Ahmed: Art and War
"Grieving Woman" statue and photo by Ahmed Fadaam
Ahmed recently visited the military base at Ft. Bragg, NC. He talks to Dick Gordon about the profound ambivalence he felt about meeting troops there: how it was both difficult on one level and yet humanizing on another. He also talks about returning to the art studio, after five years of not creating any sculpture. Despite wanting to escape the war through art, he finds that the war still haunts his imagination.
- See more of Ahmed's statue
- Check out Ahmed's blog
Ahmed in New York
Thursday, July 10 2008
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Ahmed in New york
Ahmed's self portrait
When Ahmed Abdullah was last interviewed on the program,
he told Dick Gordon that in Baghdad, the only Americans he knew were
associated with the military. Now that he's here in the U.S., Ahmed is
on a personal mission: to meet ordinary Americans. He tells Dick what he's learned so far from his time in North Carolina and New York
City.
Ahmed is a visiting scholar at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Ahmed Out of Baghdad
Monday, May 19 2008
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Ahmed Out of Baghdad
Ahmed's self portrait
It's
been months in the making, but Ahmed Abdullah has finally come to the
U.S. He's here as a visiting scholar at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dick Gordon and Ahmed last saw one
another in Baghdad five years ago. Now, they finally have a chance to
catch up in person on everything that's happened in Ahmed's life: how
his wife and children are faring in Damascus, how he nearly got caught
in a cross-fire the day before he left Baghdad, and the death threat he
received from a militia.
Ahmed tells Dick that his mission here is to meet ordinary Americans, and then tell his own people about what he learns. Ahmed has dreamed about coming to America for years, but as he tells Dick, he already misses his home.
Contact UsApril 14, 2008
Monday, April 14 2008
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Ahmed's Diary
The Iraqi government has fired nearly 1,300 police officers and soldiers who refused to engage with Shiite militias in Basra. The city has been the site of bloody infighting among Shiite factions for several days. In today's diary, Ahmed Abdullah (who is Sunni) talks about giving a ride home to a Shiite colleague, who was upset and embarrassed over the violence. But during the ride through Baghdad, both men realize that overcoming divisions is crucial to rebuilding a new Iraq.
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