Education / Talks
Using his experience, pictures and stories - Adam offers talks to try to educate the next generation on the rawness of conflict and the resilience of the people caught up in war.
Cheltenham Ladies’ College
Adam gave a talk and presented a permanent exhibition, commissioned by the college in 2022. It is dedicated to women and girls caught up in the conflict zones and photographed in some of the most war-torn countries.
The full exhibition can be viewed in my exhibitions page.
'College was fortunate enough to welcome Adam Dobby to the Princess Hall on Friday 14th January 2022, for a talk on his life and work as a former SAS member, current war journalist and photographer.
Through his images, the audience had a window into the lives of women and girls caught in conflict zones. Whether Kurdish fighter, ISIS bride, or young girl clutching a ‘dream home’ toy in front of the rubble of her house, the photographs’ subjects inspired a wealth of emotion.
Mr Dobby told stories of his time in war zones such as Syria. He highlighted the importance of empathy as a photographer, considering where to draw the line in documenting the horrors of war, and wanted us to recognise the privileges we have in growing up with peace. Ultimately, in every photo, ideas sparked about the complexity of conflict, the beauty of human connection, and the importance of our shared humanity.'
- Lana -
SFC1 (Year 12)
University of Gloucestershire
Adam came to the University of Gloucestershire recently to give a guest talk to final year students studying on a mental health module as part of their undergraduate degree in social work. Adam brought a well-curated selection of images with him, which we displayed to the student group as he talked about the back stories to each of them, as well as wider observations on conflict and trauma. He also took the time to source a helpful quotation from a relevant international social work group.
I was impressed with Adam's thoughtful and effective delivery of what are inevitably powerful and traumatic images, albeit beautifully photographed. It went down very well with the students, who gave very positive feedback both to Adam and afterwards to me. I had never used a visually-based guest talk like this before, but I would not hesitate to ask Adam back for a similar session in the future.'
- Michael Isles -
Senior Lecturer in Social Work - School of Health and Social Care
Hidelow Grange School
'We were privileged to have Adam visit our special school and give his time to share his remarkable and evocative photographs and stories with our students and staff. It was a challenging and significant experience for every one of us but especially for our pupils who were all moved by what Adam told us. They felt real empathy for children and young people living in war and conflict. It really enabled them to gain a deeper understanding of current events in Syria and Afghanistan and the impact these events are having on the lives of people their own age.'
- Becky Cooper -
Head Teacher -
Hidelow Grange School is an independent special school located in Herefordshire. It caters for boys aged between 11 and 18 who are experiencing social, emotional and mental health difficulties.
