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Iraqi TV crew at Monash

31 August 2005

An Iraqi television crew has visited Monash as part of an Australian visit organised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Mr Ali Hasan interviews Mr Frank Winston, the manager of the Hydraulics Structures Laboratory in Civil Engineering.

The group, from Al-Hurra Television, was invited by the federal department under its International Media Visits Program. It was headed by one of Iraq's leading news and current affairs correspondents, Mr Ali Hasan.

Al-Hurra means 'the free' and the broadcasting organisation was established after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Mr Hasan interviewed vice-chancellor Professor Richard Larkins before the group visited the Faculty of Engineering where it was greeted by Engineering associate dean Dr Yi-Bing Cheng and Civil Engineering senior lecturer Dr Riadh Al-Mahaidi.

"The crew met the two Iraqi Endeavour Research Fellows (who are funded by the Department of Education, Science and Training) we have working in the Faculty of Engineering, and had the opportunity to see our laboratories and other research capabilities," Dr Al-Mahaidi said.

"The purpose of their trip was to report on Australia and to increase an understanding of, and support for, our foreign and trade initiatives. It was also to provide opportunities to increase their understanding of contemporary Australia."

The Al-Hurra visit included meetings with three Australian federal ministers and companies in Perth, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. The group visited Monash on 16 August.