Note to Correspondents

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION AT UNITED NATIONS ON ‘ISLAM’ OPENS 7 DECEMBER

An exhibition, entitled "ISLAM", showcasing the virtuosic work of the Iranian photographer Abbas, opens at United Nations Headquarters on Tuesday, 7 December.  The exhibition occurs in conjunction with the Unlearning Intolerance seminar on "Confronting Islamophobia:  Education for Tolerance and Understanding", to be held at the United Nations on the same day.

Through his keen eye, Abbas, a renowned photographer and a former president of Magnum Photos, explores the many faces of Islam.  From Afghanistan to Tajikistan, from Malaysia to Morocco, Abbas documents the religious, political and cultural dimensions of Islam in arresting images that move from quiet intimacy to unforgettable beauty.  His major photojournalistic work includes coverage from apartheid in South Africa to the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.  Also featured in the exhibition are images by Magnum photographers Thomas Dworzak and David Hurn.

The United Nations Department of Public Information launched the Unlearning Intolerance series at the mid-point of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1998.  The first seminar, held on 21 June 2004, was on "Confronting anti-Semitism:  Education for Tolerance and Understanding".  The series aims to examine different manifestations of intolerance and explore ways to promote respect and understanding among people.  For more information on the seminar visit:  (http://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle/2004/webArticles/112204_Conference.asp)

The exhibition is sponsored by Magnum Photos and organized by the United Nations Department of Public Information.  It will be open to the public, with free admission, seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until 12 January 2005 (Monday to Friday only during January) in the South Gallery of the General Assembly Visitors' Lobby.  For more information about the exhibition, call Jan Arnesen at (212) 963-8531 or Liza Wichmann at (212) 963-0089 or visit the web site:  www.un.org/events/UNART.  For a calendar of current exhibitions and guided tours, call (212) 963-TOUR.

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