A Character Portrait

Canon Andrew White is a tall man with a larger than life character. He has the ability to absorb a huge amount of pain and sorrow, joy and laughter. He lives and works under extreme stress, pressure and danger with great resilience and gentleness. He is able to maintain hope in the midst of hopelessness and continue towards his goal despite desperate circumstances and impossible odds. As C.H. Lewis said in his article ‘Chaplain’s Chats – The Vicar of Baghdad’: “He seems a little too trusting and a little to jovial for this place that all too often sucks the life out of people.”

He has met with many world leaders – the Pope, Presidents and Prime Ministers, but retains an affinity with ‘the man on the street’. His particular love is for the children of Iraq. He has over 500 of them in his congregation at St George’s. An Iraqi diplomat has said of Canon White: “Every Iraqi has two fathers - one their biological father and the other Father Andrew”.

All this makes him perfectly suited for his role as a mediator in the Middle East. When enemies cut off all dialogue between each other, the role of the mediator becomes essential to promote interaction. The mediator must be trusted to be independent and unbiased with all parties. This is especially important in the Middle East where good relationships are essential to doing business. A deep understanding of the issues facing the region is also vital. Having worked in Iraq for ten years Canon White is one of a very few westerners who can fulfil this role.

Furthermore Canon Andrew White’s status as a religious leader is crucial. Canon White often says that he is only able to do his work and relate to various religious leaders because he is himself a religious leader. Religion plays a greater role in shaping Middle Eastern societies than it does in the West. Many influential figures would not work with someone to whom they could not relate to on a spiritual level. For more from Andrew on the delicate role of peace-making, click 'NEXT' below.