The Mayor of Mogadishu

AL Jazeera Witness

It is one of the world's toughest jobs, but one man is determined to make a difference in the war-torn Somali capital. Witness Last Modified: 16 Nov 2011 14:41

Filmmaker: Robert Elliott Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, is considered one of the most dangerous places on earth. Its two million inhabitants have endured more than two decades of conflict and today a battle rages between the armed al-Shabab group and Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG). Amidst the chaos of this war-torn city, Mahamoud Nur, the mayor of Mogadishu, is trying to make a difference, in part by "altering the mindset of the people". He left his wife and six children behind in London, where he had lived for more than 12 years, to return home to Mogadishu at the request of Sharif Ahmed, the country's president. This film explores Mahamoud's extraordinary story and follows him in the days leading up to one of his most ambitious initiatives to date: a street festival celebrating Somali culture - the first event of its kind in many years and an obvious target for an attack.