I was invited to give my presentation “Finding my Father in Mesopotamia’ at the Anglo-Iraqi Studies Centre on Saturday 20 May. Nadeem al-Abdalla, the Centre Manager, has collected together over 3,000 books written in English about Mesopotamia, including by General Townsend who is mentioned in my presentation, Gertrude Bell – and many books on poetry, botanical issues, medicine etc. The Centre aims to build understanding between the English and Arabic-speaking communities, especially Iraqi. There were about 50 people in the audience and I had lots of very good feedback and help in piecing together more of the pieces about the Mesopotamian Campaign of the First World War. I have been asked to speak to the Iraqi Medical Association in Luton this September.

Anglo-Iraqi Studies Centre Event on 21 May 2016- photo from Nadeem al-Abdalla