In April 2012 I made my first visit to MAG’s programs in northern Iraq, southern Lebanon and Libya.

The first country visited was northern Iraq, or Iraqi Kurdistan. The first thing that strikes you on arriving in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, is just how different it is from the news stories you hear of Iraq. Western news focuses on the war and upheaval which is only one piece of the story of this country.  Even though I knew the difference existed before traveling, it was something else to actually see and experience it. I certainly never imagined that we would be walking around Ainkawa (the area of Erbil where MAG’s office is) including the ancient citadel, bazaars and minaret park, without a single security concern.