Christian, video journalist

I first started working with Greenpeace five years ago, firstly in one of the Nordic offices and then after a while on the Greenpeace ships.

These days I spend nearly half of each year away from home, working on different campaigns as a cameraman and activist. I studied photography and documentary video making which has given me the chance to be on location, and to create my own opinions about the issues.

When I was asked to be part of the team going to Iraq - I immediately said 'yes'. I found it hard to decide for myself what was the truth during the build up to and the subsequent war in Iraq and have done since. Now I can use my profession and skills to do something good and help people that have become needless victims.

On a personal level it will be a challenge to go there and see the impact of a war. I also want to get in contact with local people and hear their own stories. Earlier this year I was working in Iran. I realised when I was there that my knowledge about the country was based on a lot of prejudice and misinformation. I left with a much better understanding of the complexity of the country. I hope to do that in Iraq also.

I think gaining this kind of knowledge and sharing it with the wider world will help us avoid antagonism which lead to similar situations that we now have in Middle East and in many other places in the world.