by Lindsey Wray
Curiosity. Passion. A deep desire to understand the world.
These attributes of Elizabeth Neuffer, a correspondent for The Boston Globe who was killed on assignment in Iraq in 2003, inspired the third Elizabeth Neuffer Forum, held in March at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston with the theme of understanding and reporting on women and Islam.
Keynote speaker at the forum was William Nash (U.S. Army, Ret.), who explained how, even in difficult circumstances, Neuffer inspired him and others; she approached people and journalism with an open mind and the willingness to listen to all perspectives.
“Elizabeth’s ability to reach out and talk to the people that she wanted to learn from was beyond the norm,” said Nash, who knew Neuffer when he was the commander of the U.S. Army in Bosnia.
Neuffer was a 1998 winner of an IWMF Courage in Journalism Award whose life mission was to promote international understanding of human rights and social justice. The IWMF Elizabeth Neuffer Forum honors her memory while advancing this mission.
Nash named qualities of Neuffer that would be essential to enlisting in the “army of Elizabeth Neuffer.” This job wouldn’t suit everyone, he said, but those who could count themselves as members would have a firm, profound grasp of the world. Neuffer, he added, had a keen ability to understand issues beyond the battlefield. In her determination to tell all sides of a story, he said, she skillfully balanced competing priorities.
“She educated me on the tragedies that took place and the broader perspectives that affected the people,” he said, “and in her questions, you understood her quest for justice.”
Though her life has ended, Neuffer’s quest for justice continues. In dealing with a world full of conflict, Nash said, there must be respect for diversity, including religious diversity. He called for people to “work from a perspective of dignity and respect” to take on the same task that Elizabeth Neuffer did: to understand others and the world.
“We – you – must do much better.”
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Nash’s address was preceded by a panel discussion, featuring experts who discussed the challenge of understanding of Islam in personal, spiritual and political contexts.
In her introduction to the forum, Renee Loth, editorial page editor for The Boston Globe, said, “The question of women in the Islamic world…has immense implications…for the peaceful development of the entire planet.”
Listen to audio clips from the panel discussion:
