Amal
Bagdad, Iraq  2002

      Beit Al-Iraq was Amal’s grandfather’s house. She now uses part of it for teaching art and traditional Iraqi handicraft classes to diplomat’s wives, as well as selling local handicrafts. She is representative of a once-existent, upper-middle class that, though not as wealthy as before, is faring better than most people under sanctions. Her house provides a cultural center where intellectuals, artists, poets, and musicians gather for informal dialogue on current issues, including the impending war, which they feel is unjust and hopefully will be avoidable.

CSpaulding
February 2003