On February 10, a group of NYU Florence students had the pleasure of meeting Imma Vitelli, International Correspondent for Vanity Fair Italy, for breakfast following her Dialogue in The Arab Spring Series. Students asked questions about her experience as a war correspondent – “Are you ever afraid?”. Her reply: “If you are afraid, you don’t go into this line of work” – and what she thinks the future holds for Middle Eastern countries undergoing transition – Her simple answer: “I don’t know.” The very frank and lively conversation provided students insight into what is going on on the ground and challenged some of their assumptions. Other issues discussed: the role the media plays in shaping public perceptions and the challenges journalists face when reporting from a conflict zone. The stories of the people she met along the way gave the uprisings a human face and provided a deeper insight into the experience, motivations, challenges and successes of the protesters.


