Iraqi journalist and peace activist Haider Hamza was the Martin Luther King Jr. guest speaker for The Pennington School’s 2015-16 Stephen Crane Lecture Series which took place on January 26, 2016. Hamza’s presentation was structured around quotations from King about justice and peace, and he spoke of the universality of King’s message he had learned as a student in Iraq.
Born in Iraq under the rule of Saddam Hussein, Hamza has witnessed conflicts throughout the Middle East and northern Africa, gaining insights into the perspectives of soldiers, civilians, rebel fighters and journalists. His work caused him to be arrested, injured and kidnapped; he also lost several family members and friends. Having now earned a graduate degree in global security and conflict resolution as a Fulbright Scholar, he is committed to raising awareness among young people about the long-term effects of war and the universality of humanity.
Hamza now works with an international foundation helping Arab youth to become active participants in political discourse through nonviolent communication, advocacy and debate. He works to raise awareness among young people about the long-term effects of war, the universality of humanity and the values of peace and reconciliation.
His project with a booth called “Talk to an Iraqi” traveled to 35 states and was featured on NPR, Showtime, and 250 cinemas across the country. In 2003, he joined mainstream media as a war journalist, including two years embedded with U.S. military units covering combat operations. He has covered myriad events over the years since, including the revolutions of the “Arab Spring” in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, and sectarian violence and wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
Hamza’s visit was part of Pennington’s Stephen Crane Lecture Series, which commemorates the author of “The Red Badge of Courage,” who was a student at Pennington in the 1880s and whose father was headmaster of the School from 1849 to 1858. The series invites prominent authors, artists, or public figures to speak or perform on the campus. Among the recent lecturers taking part are Prabhjot Singh, director of Arnhold Institute for Global Health; Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi; Daniel R. Porterfield, president of Franklin & Marshall College; Kevin Bales, noted scholar on slavery in the world today; former U.S. Senator Rudy Boschwitz, Pennington Class of 1947; philanthropist and former NBA star Dikembe Mutombo; and French ambassador Jean-David Levitte. For information about the Stephen Crane Lecture Series, contact Director of Speaker Programming Amelia Becker at abecker@pennington.org.
The Pennington School, founded in 1838, recently celebrated its 175th anniversary. It is an independent coeducational school for students in grades 6 through 12, in both day and boarding programs. The curriculum is college preparatory, with an emphasis on individual excellence, fostering the development of the whole student through academics, athletics, community service and the creative and performing arts.
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