You may find the name merely familiar, but upon looking at one of his photos from the Vietnam war, an instant recollection appears and we recognize both the impact of those pieces of work that has inspired us personally as well as being signature pieces for that period in time.
The same goes for the person. Articulate, polished, an educator and an activist in the forefront of his profession, “with little hair” on the top which he humorously adds in his own description of himself.
Yet, a serious man with his own philosophy and values, a natural teacher who has a clear vision as to what good journalism is all about.
Peter Gregg Arnett was born on November 13th 1934, in Riverton, New Zealand. An American New Zealander, Peter Arnett has won the coveted Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy, among his many accolades. Presently, he is within the role of an educator, having been the visiting professor for J-school since March 2007.
Having spent a lifetime as a war and international correspondent for most if not all the large US news stations and organizations, Peter is most visible in the public domain for his interview with then President Saddam Hussein and the infamous terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden. He began his career with the Associated Press where he spent 13 years covering the beginning of the Vietnam War to fall of Saigon in 1975.
Following which, Peter worked for other publications such as the National Geographic, The Mirror, and various television reporting and of course CNN.
Introduced by his close friend and dare I say confidante by the always polished Gifford Searles, Peter Arnett started his two hour lecture that spanned his career from his coverage of the Vietnam War until the 2nd Gulf War.
Interspersed with humor, and well placed sarcastic jibes at the powers that were and are, this award-winning orator places the audience in awe of his knowledge, witticism and clearly structured talk.
An example of the witty remarks used is shown when expounding on his interview with Osama Bin Laden and the announcement of Taliban’s war with America. On the same note, his reiteration of Obama’s announcement of escalation of conflicts in Afghanistan with the coming increase of troops in the Gulf, reveals the intertextuality of the two Os whether intentionally or otherwise. Link the two ‘leaders’ with an irony that most if not all journalists could relate to.
Not to give away too much as to reduce the enjoyment of the audience in such a lecture, Peter Arnett impresses with his passion for his work.
And an effective speaker, this educator, Peter Arnette is and will be one of the most interesting people I had the pleasure of meeting.
Looking forward to his next performance, where he has been with the generous endorsement and support of UIC (United International College) and Gifford Searles, Peter Arnett has been invited to speak again in Zhuhai.
Make yourself available for this rare opportunity to learn from one of the masters in the art of language, photo and communication.
We will keep you posted as to future lectures from Peter Arnette and other UIC (University International College) sponsored talks.
Interesting Links and points of interest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Arnett
www.facebook.com/people/Peter-Arnette/1010468142
http://uic.edu.hk/en/
In 1994, Arnett wrote : “ Live from the Battlefield: From Vietnam to Baghdad, 35 Years in the World's War Zones.”
