WAMU 88.5, America Abroad Media and Radio Killid Afghanistan present 'Living With War: A Conversation Between Afghans and Americans'

Audiences in Kabul and Washington connect to discuss perceptions and realities of U.S.-Afghan war

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- WAMU 88.5, America Abroad Media and Radio Killid in Afghanistan will present "Living with War: A Conversation Between Afghans and Americans," a discussion linking audiences in Washington, D.C., and Kabul, Afghanistan. The event will take place at 7:30 a.m., Jan. 21, at American University's Katzen Arts Center.

Connected via Skype and assisted by translators, average citizens in Kabul and Washington will take turns sharing their thoughts on the United States' military involvement in Afghanistan, the future of the war and the costs of the conflict. Kojo Nnamdi, host of WAMU 88.5's The Kojo Nnamdi Show, will moderate the conversation in Washington.

"What I'm excited about is a heart-to-heart talk between American and Afghan citizens in which we both express our deepest fears and hopes about one another. We get such conflicting signals from media portrayals and from our leaders about the Afghan people and how they feel about us, and they seem to be in a similar situation," said Nnamdi.

"This town hall provides an unprecedented opportunity for Americans and Afghans to converse—candidly and directly—about the progress of the war and the challenges of daily life for the Afghan people," said Dr. Aaron Lobel, founder and president of America Abroad Media (AAM). "AAM is delighted to help give audiences in Kabul and Washington a forum to express their views on an issue so vital to the security of Afghanistan and the United States."

The event is free and open to the public. The taped discussion will be aired on WAMU 88.5 at a later date. For more information or to RSVP, visit wamu.org/calendar.

About WAMU 88.5

American University's radio station since 1961, WAMU 88.5 is the leading public radio station for NPR news and information in the greater Washington, D.C., area. With more than 735,000 listeners in the Washington-Baltimore region, WAMU 88.5 is where "the mind is our medium." WAMU also broadcasts from 88.3 Ocean City on the Delmarva peninsula and in Washington on three HD channels — the flagship frequency at 88.5–1; WAMU's Bluegrass Country, a bluegrass and Americana station, at 88.5–2; and WAMU–3, at 88.5–3, a news and information station broadcasting international coverage from the BBC and offering public radio programs unavailable elsewhere in the Washington area. For more information, visit wamu.org.

About America Abroad

America Abroad Media (AAM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to harnessing the power of media to inform America and the world about the critical international issues of our time.  AAM produces in-depth media programming on international affairs for broadcast in the United States and across the world.  AAM's programs promote the free exchange and critical analysis of ideas, and help build civil society in the United States and around the world.  AAM reaches more than 80 million listeners and viewers annually.

SOURCE WAMU 88.5