In March, Dr. Gino Strada of the renowned international medical relief organization Emergency, will be visiting southern California on a speaking and book tour. "Green Parrots", Dr. Strada's powerful chronicle of a war surgeon, has just been translated into english. In this somber story of his experiences as a doctor in some of the world's bloodiest war zones, he gives us both a provocative assessment of the state of international aid, and an indictment of the manufacturers and merchants of landmines. He knows war too well, and in a straight forward account he moves through Iraqi Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Ruanda, Peru, Bosnia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Cambodia, and Gibuti, revealing the horrors and folly of war, as well as the sanity and compassion of the Emergency doctors, volunteers and local people, even in the most wretched circumstances.



The book is a singularly lucid condemnation of war and its weapons from a man of astonishing conviction, courage, and single mindedness. Dr. Strada is a powerful role model and inspiration to young people, those working in the medical profession, and the general public.



EMERGENCY



Emergency is an italian based medical relief NGO established in 1994 by Dr. Gino Strada. Emergency sets up surgical and rehabilitation centers in conflict zones where other relief organizations dare not go. In Afghanistan, where Emergency operates two hospitals and is building a third, small green land mines are so common that children refer to them as "Green Parrots". This became the title of Dr. Strada's chronicle of his work as a war surgeon, newly translated into english.



Emergency also has two hospitals in Iraq with a third under construction, one in Cambodia and one in Sierra Leone. They have brought medical aid to Kurdistan, Ruanda, Peru, Bosnia, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Gibuti. They train and employ local staff to meet highly professional standards. They offer humanitarian aid to prisoners in conflict zones and set up development projects in the countries where they operate.



They are currently working in Sri Lanka where thousands of land mines were brought to the surface by the tsunami. Since the beginning of its work in 1994, Emergency has assisted over one million victims of war. For more information on Emergency's work see http://www.emergencyusa.org/ or http://www.emergency.it/



DR. STRADA'S LOS ANGELES SCHEDULE:



March 12, 7 pm benefit with world music by Paul Livingstone and Salaam Suite, poetry by John Trudell

All welcome, suggested donation , no one turned away for lack of funds

Venice United Methodist Church, 1020 Victoria Avenue, Venice

March 13, 10 am, Presentation

All Saints' Methodist Church, 132 N. Euclid, Pasadena

March 15, 12-30 pm lecture

Kaiser Permanente WLA, Ground Round

6041 Cadillac dr., Los Angeles, private -- call for more info

March 15, 7 pm, Lecture and screening of "Jung"

Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society " the Onion",

9550 Haskell Ave., North Hills

March 16, 12 to 1 pm, lecture

Health Science Campus, Keith Administration Building's Mayer

Auditorium, USC, 1925 Zonal Ave, Los Angeles

March 16, 6-30 pm, Lecture and booksigning

5th floor, University Library, Long Beach State University, Long beach

March 18, 7pm, book presentation and screening of "Jung"

Italian Institute of Culture, co-sponsored by Physicians for Social Responsibility

1023 Hillgard Ave., Westwood

March 19, 2pm, Q & A and booksigning

Flor y Canto Community Space & Bookstore, 3706 N. Figueroa St.

Highland Park

March 19, 7 pm, booksigning

Dutton's Beverly Hills Books, 447 N.Canon Road, Beverly Hills

For more information on any of these events, please call Marco Rambaldo at 323-350-7800 or email: manarco@earthlink.net