International Iranian photographer Ahmed Natiqi presents seminar at Slemani University

The International war photographer, Dr. Ahmadi Natiqi, who is also the photographer of "Omer Khawar", presented a seminar at the University of Slemani. 

Natiqi arrived in Slemani last week where he visited several institutions of the city, including the PUK Media Office, Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate-Slemani Branch, and the University of Slemani to meet with officials and give seminars and information regarding his works.

During his seminar which was presented to lecturers and students of the College of Media, Natiqi focused on the importance of documenting war incidents which can later be used as evidence of war crimes. 

Natiqi also participated in an open dialogue with the participants, where they discussed the events of the Halabja chemical attack in detail and the journalists that were present during that day, especially the Iranian team and the war photographer Dr. Ahmad Natiqi, who owns about 400 photos of the crime which was committed on March 16, 1988.

In another part of the seminar, Dr. Natiqi presented a short documentary film about his later visit to Halabja after 20 years and meeting the survivors whom he photographed the day of the tragedy. 

Dr. Natqi also thanked Ms. Hero Ibrahim Ahmad, wife of late President Mam Jalal, and the Kurdsat Media Corporation who helped him visit Halabja and print books, open exhibitions, and broadcast his films and documentary work on the anniversary of the Halabja chemical attack on the Kurdsat TV Channel.

Ahmed Natiqi was born in 1958 in the south of Tehran. He began his journey as a photographer in 1970. He documented the Iran-Iraq war From 1978 to 1983. 

He also documented the Halabja tragedy and he took the famous Omar Khawar photo who died in the chemical attack holding his infant baby.

After 20 years of the Halabja tragedy, he opened an exhibition in which he demonstrated his photographic works where his move was warmly welcomed by the people of Halabja.

On March 16, 1988, the city of Halabja witnessed the most heinous crime against humanity. The city was bombed with banned chemical weapons by the fallen Iraqi Baath regime. 

Over 5,000 innocent people from children, women, and the elderly were martyred on this day and more than 10,000 were injured.



Reported by Venos Tofiq 
PUKmedia