Technology is amazing. Last evening, I attended a video linkup with Christiane Amanpour and a group of about 12 women journalists and bloggers in Kabul. It was a remarkable exchange, as the women talked about the challenges facing them in their careers (the difficulty of getting a key interview, for example) and the issues facing women here in Afghanistan. There was lots of lively give and take and not enough time. But, it was fascinating to listen to the conversation, and I was reminded about the critical importance of stories and the courage it takes to tell them. Amanpour’s early career success was due in some measure to her groundbreaking interview with Taliban leadership in 1996 here in Afghanistan, and she was able to weave that personal history with her insights. The women asked hard questions, and I left with a sense that they are all committed to making sure that we all learn about what happens here, now and into the future.
