Kabul: A City at Work is a multimedia project by three British journalists in Afghanistan. In the West, perceptions of Afghanistan are shaped through war reporting and news media. Kabul is imagined as a devastated city populated by terrorists, drug traffickers, warlords and their victims. We hope to dispel some of these negative stereotypes.

Whilst Kabul obviously faces huge problems and security is still a major issue, the city has been transformed since 2001 by its 4 million inhabitants into a diverse and thriving metropolis.

We are producing a book, a series of exhibitions and web films containing 60 first-person narrative interviews of Kabul’s citizens at work. These small, yet focused vignettes will provide a window into the soul of a much-maligned city.

From the humble sweetmaker in the old city’s bazaar whose methods haven’t changed for 25 years to the upmarket estate agent selling million dollar homes to the nouveau riche; from the old keeper of the British cemetery to the reality TV star wannabe, these are the voices that will be heard. Some are rich and some are poor. Some are tragic and some are heroic. This is a portrait of a city through its everyman.

WE BELIEVE //

We believe Kabul: A City at Work will:

♦ Dispel negative perceptions of Afghanistan

♦ Reveal the positive story the media are disinclined to tell

♦ Give ordinary Afghans an international voice

♦ Win a global audience for cultural issues in Afghanistan

♦ Provide valuable non-agency research gauging public sentiment in Kabul

♦ Establish a sustainable template for further creative projects

We plan to establish contact with community leaders and educators, and, if funding allows, we hope to recruit local mentors, project managers and volunteers to keep this project ‘live’. We will also teach visual literacy and editorial skills to interested partners, such as local news agencies or media-based NGOs.

THE BOOK //

We have a publishing deal with Stacey International in London. The book will marketed and distributed on a long-term and international basis. The book will be launched at the 2009 Frankfurt Book Fair.

THE EXHIBITIONS //

Photographic exhibitions will be hosted at galleries across the world.

THE WEBSITE //

We are planning an online hub using GPS technology to create an aerial overview of the city, so the user can zoom into specific parts of Kabul, locate individuals or areas of interest, and watch video clips of interviews.

THE DOCUMENTARY //

TV networks have expressed interest in the acquisition of a longer format film.

ABOUT US //

DAVID GILL is a photojournalist specialising in documentary and international development. His clients include Esquire, GQ, The Observer, Arena and The Mail on Sunday. He has worked on assignments in Iraq, Africa, the Caribbean and South Asia. He is now based in Afghanistan.

MILES AMOORE is a freelance journalist who has been living in Kabul for two years. He is a contributor for, amongst others, The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent & Monocle.

OLIVER ENGLEHART is a filmmaker and journalist. He has worked in the development and production of documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4 and The Discovery Channel. He is a contributor to The New York Times, Granta, The Guardian, The New Statesman & Wisden.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED //

We are all stakeholders in the future of Afghanistan. We want Afghanistan to throw off the shackles of thirty years of war. We care about the future of this country and we think this project will make a difference.

We are now seeking partners to join us in producing Kabul: A City at Work. This is an open project and we welcome your thoughts. Thank you for your time.

David Gill, Miles Amoore & Oliver Englehart

Tel: +44 7979 837 673

Email: oliver@kabulatwork.com