March 2004 The 121Contact Project Begins

As a result of a Human Rights Day workshop, “Putting a Human Face on ‘collateral damage’, students at Brooklyn’s John Dewey High School have been in email contact with students in schools in Baghdad, Iraq since March, 2004. Strong connections are being made at an incredible pace by individual children and teachers who exchange information about their daily lives, their families, their concerns, and their hopes.

We are becoming become friends. Children in Baghdad now understand that not all Americans hate Iraqis. Children in America now see Iraqi students as human beings, suffering in the chaos of war, but strong of spirit and hope. Here are excerpts from a few emails:

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“I stopped being angry and turned that feeling into concern…That is why I’m proud to say that I’m participating in a project by writing letters to students and getting to know them. “

“my name is ( ) ,i'm from baghdad,i'm 14 years old   ,i'm a student at my lovelly school my hobby is the sport ,in jenral and especially football…i hope that we will know each other more and more i like to get your messages ,i want to ask you some questions … do you like the iraqi people? i like your message and i like the people in America. i hope that our friend ship will last. piece is the best speech”

“Thanks for asking about me and thanks for your delicate feeling. im in need for such words today.Im very sad today ,the occupation soldiers came to our Institute…”

“How are you doing? I am doing great. We have something in common we both do not like Math. Music I listen to is Rock, I have been listening to that kind of music for years. There is different subdivisons of rock but there are way too many to say now, it would take me years to actually write all of them. You said that your tribe is aljobour which is a sunni and Shi'a tribe. Does your tribe have special traditions that you guys have to complete? How many tribes are there? Anyway I must be going I have to go clean my room. Talk to you later bye.”
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Looking back from today, August 2005, I see that we have come to know each other as friends, as family, and as compassionate members of a world community striving for more peaceful tomorrows. It is a sometimes difficult journey as we admit how our nation, our government, our war affects the lives of innocent civilians (so much like ourselves), but difficult can also be good.

 

 

Comments

[Joanna]

I am not a student. I am an older woman who is so concerned about how the Iraqi people must feel about Americans now. I want them to know that I have always known that they had nothing to do with 9/11. I tried my best to stop the war by protesting and writing letters to my representatives. I am so deeply consumed with sadness everyday of my life because of all the innocent people dying everyday. I spend every waking hour worrying about all of this. I watch Free Speech TV all day long and learned about this site from Amy Goodman on Democracy Now today. I would dearly love to have an Iraqi pen pal to keep in contact with. I would gladly open my home to any Iraqi family if they could come here. If I were not poor, I would do much more to help but I can hardly make ends meet.