March 28, 2024

Archive Event Highlight

‘How I Did It’: OPC and The Li Center at Columbia University Present: The Story Behind The New York Times’ ‘Civilian Casualty Files’

Photo: Ivor Prickett

The Li Center, in collaboration with the Overseas Press Club of America, goes behind the scenes of “The Civilian Casualty Files” in a conversation with Azmat Khan, the lead reporter, and Luke Mitchell, her New York Times Magazine editor.

Based on thousands of pages of previously unreported Pentagon reports and five years of painstaking reporting from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, Khan’s stories painted a damning portrait of American warfare. The reporting exposed the systemic intelligence failings that resulted in countless civilian casualties from U.S.-led airstrikes. And it described the web of impunity that provided cover to those responsible. The series won numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize, a National Magazine Award, an Overseas Press Club Award, and a Polk Award. This talk is part of an OPC series, called, ‘How I Did It,’ which convenes freelance journalists and their editors or producers to break down a major feat of reporting. It will be moderated by OPC Governor Ginger Thompson, who is the chief of correspondents at ProPublica and the winner of multiple journalism awards for her reporting from Latin America and from the U.S.-Mexico border.

The event will be held in person and online. 

Registrants who attend virtually will receive a link to join the Zoom call about an hour before the program on Sept. 13.

If you would like to attend in person and are NOT part of the Columbia Journalism School community, you must RSVP:

Columbia University is committed to protecting the health and safety of its community. To that end, all visiting alumni and guests must meet the university requirement of full vaccination status in order to attend in-person events. Vaccination cards will be checked upon entry to all outdoor and indoor venues. Masks are strongly recommended but not mandatory.

By RSVP’ing, I attest that I meet the University’s vaccination requirement for event attendance and that I will be prepared to provide proof day of.

Click here to register for either in-person or online attendance.


Photo: Ivor Prickett

Photo: Ivor Prickett

Photo: Ivor Prickett

Photo: Ivor Prickett

Photo: Ivor Prickett

Photo: Ivor Prickett