Book Discussion: Witnesses to War - The Children of Syria

We are delighted to welcome you to a panel discussion of the book Witnesses to War: The Children of Syria by Bassam Khabieh. Bassam Khabieh will be joined by Emmy Award-winning art director Leslie Thomas for a discussion on the aim of the book, as well as wider themes surrounding the intersection of art and transitional justice. 

Witnesses to War: The Children of Syria by Bassam Khabieh provides an insider’s account of the impact that the war in Syria had on children. Children and their families held onto fragments of normalcy through schools conducted in basements, street games played in the temporary lull of battle, and events and holidays celebrated under tenuous conditions. From the rebel held area of Eastern Ghouta, it illustrates, through photographs and stories, the incredible resilience of Syria’s young in the face of violence.  

Bassam Khabieh
Bassam Khabieh, formerly an information technology specialist, is an internationally recognized Syrian photographer who for eight years documented war crimes and other ongoing human rights violations in the Syrian war while working for Reuters. His images have been published in the Guardian, the Atlantic, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Time magazine. Bassam has also consulted for UNICEF and the World Health Organization. He was awarded the Robert Capa Gold Medal in 2015 and in 2018 was named a fellow at the Oak Institute for Human Rights at Colby College, where he taught photography and human rights. Bassam returned to Turkey after finishing his fellowship, where he continues to cover Syrian news and works with journalists and researchers reporting on Syrian refugees in Turkey. 

Leslie Thomas
Leslie Thomas is the founder of ART WORKS Projects, a co-founder of the MIRA Production Studio and LARC Architecture and Design, and an Emmy Award-winning art director.