Tonight I had the opportunity to hear the Director-General of the Iraqi National Library and Archive, Dr. Saad Eskander, speak. It's absolutely incredible what this man has faced and gone through just to try to bring the truth to the people. To try to do what all librarians and archivists do, to keep information open and free to those who seek it. The building has been burned 2 or 3 times, looted 4 or 5 times by several different groups of people (Americans and British included), targeted for bombing, and employees threatened and killed. I didn't realize that Simmons is part of a program that helps train Iraqi librarians and archivists in the United Arab Emirates. I'm quite proud to be part of such an institution.
07 November 2007
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