Nuzhat ShahzadiNuzhat Shahzadi is a creative writer. She is a Bengalee American--grew up in East Bengal, initially a part of Pakistan that emerged as an independent sovereign nation, as Bangladesh in 1971 following a violent civil war. In her adolescence she got a irst hand taste of living through a horrific genocide. She authored and co-authored numerous entertainment-education materials and directed animation films on social issues honing the power of story telling to influence behavior. Her work with the United Nations took her to the heart of unchartered territories marred with armed conflicts in Asia and Africa--from the war torn landscape of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal to the shores of Angola, Cote d'Ivoire . . . the slopes of Rwanda, Uganda and Mozambique that borne the scars of civil wars. She travelled extensively to many other regions that offered her the opportunity to work closely with the most marginalized grass roots communities. In 2004-2005, Shahzadi took a break from the UN to head an HIV/AIDS project with the Johns Hopkins University /Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore. During this time she lived in Little Italy in Baltimore and made friends with Italian-Americans. On rejoining the UN, she worked closely with Italian NGOS and the NATO contingent of Italian forces in Herat, Western Afghanistan on child protection issues. She got interested in the history of the Italians--and years later decided to write this book. Shahzadi holds two post graduate degrees: a Masters in Public Health, and an MA in English literature. At present she lives in greater Washington DC area in the US. Read More Read Less