WASHINGTON - February 25 - Adele Welty, who lost her son, Timmy, a NYC Firefighter, at the World Trade Center on September 11th, is traveling to Afghanistan March 3-13, 2004.

Welty will meet with Afghan families who lost loved ones to the US-led bombing, weighing the positive effects of being freed from the Taliban against the negative effects on their physical, emotional and psychological well-being.

"By reaching out to people who have also suffered as a result of the September 11th attacks, I'm trying to add one small stone to building a bridge to peace," Welty said. "We have to end the cycle of violence and blame, and express some common bond so these people know we don't hate them."

Welty will visit hospitals, schools and orphanages, to gage the extent to which services are being provided to those in need. Other meetings will include:

• Fawzia Amini, female judge, Ministry of Women's Affairs
• Masooda Jalal, female candidate for President of Afghanistan
• Red Cross Rehabilitation Clinic for Mine Victims
• Afghanistan's spiritual leader, Quari Barakatullah
• Afghan Commission for Human Rights (Lal Gul)
• Women for Women International (Sweeta Noori)
• W.O.M.A.N literacy program (Mina Sherzoy)

Welty is a member of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows,(www.peacefultomorrows.org) a non-profit advocacy group of 9/11 family members seeking nonviolent solutions to terrorism. Peaceful Tomorrows was nominated for the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize. Her trip is being facilitated by Global Exchange (www.globalexchange.org).

Prior to the trip, Welty can be reached at her home in Queens, New York: 718-461-8837, or via email at: awelty@nyc.rr.com. She will depart for Afghanistan on February 29.

While in Afghanistan March 3-13, she can be reached at: Chare Now, Charai Aji Akub, Butcher Street Friend Guesthouse 2 Phone number: 070291989

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