UAMS College of Public Health Hosts Iraq War Photo Exhibit

By todd

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LITTLE ROCK – The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health is hosting a traveling photo exhibit Jan. 30 to Feb. 15 to raise awareness of the Iraq war’s impact on public health.


 


Titled “Unembedded,” the 60-photograph exhibit is by four photojournalists – including Thorne Anderson, a Cabot High School graduate – whose rare access to everyday Iraqis allowed the photographers to capture provocative images without accompanying the U.S. military.


 


The exhibit is free and will be displayed on the first floor of the College of Public Health building. It can be viewed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. the weekend of Feb. 10-11.


 


“War, wherever it occurs, has a profound impact on the well-being of individuals, communities and nations,” said College of Public Health Dean James M. Raczynski, Ph.D. “The war in Iraq has had and continues to take a huge toll on human health and the environment in Iraq. The photographs in “Unembedded” help show the grave public health consequences of war.”


 


The exhibit photos will be accompanied by text placards with statistics and other information about the war’s effect on human health and the environment in Iraq. Information is also included about nutrition, water quality, health care infrastructure and mental health issues.


 


Although the war is being waged in Iraq, the college also is providing information about its public health effects on the United States. For example, placards will include statistics about soldiers’ potential long-term physical and mental disabilities as a result of the war, and the financial and health consequences for soldiers’ families.  


 


The “Unembedded” exhibit is based on a book by the same name that was published last year by Chelsea Green Publishing. The book contains 150 photos, including the 60 photos in the exhibit.


 


The exhibit’s national tour includes stops at other universities, museums and galleries and community centers.


 


The UAMS College of Public Health is co-sponsoring the exhibit with the Arkansas Coalition for Peace and Justice, the event’s primary local sponsor. The coalition is a volunteer-driven central Arkansas nonprofit that promotes nonviolent conflict resolution, policies that enhance social and economic justice, and sustainable environments.


 


“We’re excited about the exhibit coming to Arkansas and very grateful to the College of Public Health for serving as one of its venues,” said John Coffin, board chairman of the Arkansas Coalition for Peace and Justice and senior director of planned giving at UAMS..


 


The exhibit also will appear at Philander Smith College in Little Rock, displayed in the Library and Technology Center from Feb. 20 to March 9.


 


For media interviews with photographers, contact Constance Creed at (802) 295-6300, Ext 109.


 


UAMS is the state’s only comprehensive academic health center, with five colleges, a graduate school, a medical center, six centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has about 2,430 students and 715 medical residents. It is one of the state’s largest public employers with about 9,400 employees, including nearly 1,000 physicians who provide medical care to patients at UAMS, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and UAMS’ Area Health Education Centers throughout the state. UAMS and its affiliates have an economic impact in Arkansas of $4.5 billion a year. For more information, visit www.uams.edu.