Pair of binoculars needed for Syrian birder
Today (Wed 27)
I received the following email from Ahmad Aidek, a Syrian now living in Damascus
who works for the Syrian Society for the Conservation of Wildlife (SSCW).
I first met
Ahmad in 2007 when I arrived by chance at the small hotel in Deir El Zoor in
eastern Syria, where he moonlighted as Night Manager. He saw me with my field
guide and started talking about wildlife - he was clearly very knowledgeable. I
returned in 2008 with two friends, one British, one Syrian and he showed us the
manuscript of a book on the wildlife of the Deir El Zoor area (in Arabic). We
subsequently helped to find an Arabic proofreader and sourced a few photographs
for him as well as helping to get some funding from, for example, OSME - the
Ornithological Society of the Middle East.
After the
2011 debacle, he managed to escape across the Euphrates from Deir El Zoor in
which was then held by ISIS - although his son was shot in his arm.
We have kept in contact over the years and I have
helped him in various ways since 2011. I will be sending a Collins FG but have
no spare pair of binoculars to give him. If anybody can help, please contact me
fairly soon since I will have to send them to his friend in Glasgow. 0785 782
5169 or 01545 570604.
Ian Harrison
Dear Ian,
How are you and your family, I hope everything well.
As you now, I lost everything in my home in Deir ez-Zor. I would like to ask if are there any body donate a binocular and bird guide (COLLINS) to me.
My friend will be in Glasgow (UK) today then come back
to Syria in 11 days.
I will be grateful for that.
Best wishes
Ahmad