Haider Newmani

ABOUT

Humanizing War: The Experiences of Soldiers and Civilians During Conflict

Haider was born under the rule of Saddam Hussein – since then, he lived through four major wars, including the Iran/Iraq war, the Gulf war, and the US invasion of Iraq. As a journalist, he witnessed several other conflicts throughout the Middle East & North Africa region. In 2003, he joined the mainstream media as a war journalist. During his coverage of the US “War on Terror,” Haider spent two years embedded with U.S. military units covering combat operations. As a freelance journalist, he also spent time covering the perspective of armed resistance in the Middle East to learn more about their mindsets, goals and the reality of who they are. As a result, Haider witnessed the war from the perspectives of soldiers, civilians, rebel fighters, and journalists; all while attending school as an undergraduate student.

During that time, Haider was arrested, injured and kidnapped. He lost several family members and friends. He wanted to stay in his home country of Iraq but the risk became too great. “At some point I realized that it is more important to live for a cause than to die for one,” Haider expressed. He graduated from Baghdad University and one year later, was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to move to the United States where he finished graduate school majoring in Global Security & Conflict Resolution.

In subsequent years, Haider covered many headline-making news and events from the Middle East & North Africa; he attended all trial sessions of Saddam Hussein, witnessed the killing of Saddam’s sons, reported from the revolutions of the “Arab Spring” in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, and covered the killing of al Qaeda leaders, and the bloody sectarian violence and civil wars in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.

Haider’s powerful and fascinating lectures include poignant and touching visuals from his experience in war-torn Iraq as a citizen of the country and a war journalist. His various capacities as a journalist, a civilian, an activist and a family man have given him a unique perspective about war. He examines the losses of both nations involved in a war. His presentation takes the audience on a journey through every-day-life in a war zone while highlighting the sufferings, challenges, bonds, ironies and human behavior of both; Iraqi civilians and US soldiers caught in the war.

Once he arrived in the US, Haider drove across the country setting up a booth titled “Talk to an Iraqi”. He set up the booth in 35 US states, inviting everyday people for a conversation about realities of war. His journey was featured in Showtime, NPR, and over 250 cinemas across the US.

Haider has made appearances in tens of media outlets worldwide, challenging people to think more critically of war. Today, Haider splits his time between the US and the Middle East & North Africa region as he has become strongly committed to raising awareness among young people about the long-term effects of war, the universality of humanity, and sends messages of peace and reconciliation. Haider works with an international foundation helping Arab youth to become active members of political discourse through non-violent communication, advocacy and debate.