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23 Dec 2009 09:44:49
The emotional experiences of Iraqi refugee
May Witwit will be heard by millions of radio listeners around the world on Christmas
Day.
An entire radio programme is being devoted to the extraordinary story of the life-changing friendship between May and BBC World Service journalist Bee Rowlatt.
Outlook is the BBC World Service radio’s flagship, Sony award winning, human interest programme, and is broadcast to 40 million listeners around the world.
The show, presented by former Radio One controller Matthew Bannister, will hear extracts of the unlikely couple’s email exchange and the pair will also join him in conversation in the studio.
May is a former Baghdad University English lecturer who finally opted to seek a new life abroad after her husband became unemployed in the aftermath of the Allied invasion of Iraq and the fall of Baghdad in April 2003.
She was put in touch with the Council for
Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA) by her BBC World Service friend Bee. The
organisation enlisted the support of the University to secure her a research
place in English Literature in the CATS (Creative Arts, Technologies and
Science) faculty of the University, together with part-time work in the Marketing
and Communications department.
But it proved impossible for May to get a UK visa as an Iraqi while in Baghdad. So she and her husband had to travel to Jordan and then apply for a UK visa from there.
With CARA’s help, the couple finally made it safely to Luton in late 2008 and have not looked back since.
The show is being aired at various times on Christmas Day and for more details, visit the Outlook website www.bbcworldservice.com/outlook
May and Bee are also the co-authors of a book ‘Talking about Jane Austen in Baghdad’ which is being published by Penguin in early February.
It too tells the story of their unlikely friendship - overcoming differences in culture, race, age and religion - and contrasts daily life in London and Baghdad.
Latest news» 2009» December» May's set to speak on Xmas Day
