National Press Club home coming speech about media in Afghanistan

Mahtab Farid speaking at National Press Club

On September 21, 2011, my friends and colleagues at National Press Club hosted an event so I could share my reporter’s notebook from Afghanistan and the public diplomacy efforts during my 16 month tour with the State Department and the Department of Defense.



Media Workshop in Ghazni with Mahtab Farid and Afghan reporters

I served as a regional public diplomacy officer with the State Department in regional command east. I spent six months in Ghazni and the rest of my tour was in Bagram but I traveled to Parwan, Panshir, Bamyan, Laghman and Kabul to build capacity for Afghan media. My job was to tell the American story and to help Afghan reporters who had no electricity, computers, or access to the Internet to share their own story with the world.



Female reporters in Bamyan

Now that I am back, there are so many heartwarming stories to tell. I witnessed numerous examples of kindness and compassion from Afghans, soldiers, women and kids on the street. It was hard to tell all the stories and reflect all the images that I witnessed in one hour. But it was a wonderful feeling coming back to my press family at the National Press Club and featuring my work.



Myron Belkind and Mahtab Farid

I like to thank our International Correspondent Committee Chair Myron Belkind for his efforts and for presenting me with the National Press Club mug which only dignitary speakers receive when they speak at the club. I was also delighted to get a surprise visit from LTC Padilla who served with me in Ghazni and delighted to see Ken from our embassy while he was on a short break from Afghanistan. I remembered and praised our military colleagues and friends during the speech.  I also missed all our Afghan partners, Afghan reporters, Afghan women and children who made my tour meaningful and memorable. 
I will forever treasure the memories…