Our cultural heritage can unite us
Afghan society has a rich diversity of cultures and traditions. Some reflect a tribal structure, while others are based on ethnicity. The region in the west, north and centre of the country are influenced by…
Afghan women deserve a peaceful future
International Women’s Day was celebrated across the world on Monday 8th March with events held across Afghanistan that focused on empowering women and girls in all walks of life. People in Kabul and other parts…
Naan-o-Namak: sharing bread and salt
Naan-o-namak shodan (literally in Persian, to share bread & salt) is an expression used by Afghans to describe having a meal. It is commonly used when strangers get to know each other by spending time…
Throwing wood – a tradition of early engagement among Afghans
In Badakhshan province, when a girl in one family and a boy in another family are born on the same day, the boy-child’s relatives might throw a log of wood into the compound of the…
Are interethnic marriages still a taboo for Afghans?
Every morning she wakes up with her favorite Pashto good-morning greeting “sahar pakhair” and I respond in Dari “sobh bakhair” explains Said Noor Ahmad, who is 25 and a Pashtun from Herat province. Two years…
Nine cows and a new man
‘Nine cows and a new man’ (noh gaow wa mard naw in Persian) is a traditional expression for a newborn baby among families in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, where it is believed that a girl-child is…
‘Eid Bowl (akhtarisa kassa)
‘Eid bowl (or akhtarisa kassa in Pashtu) is a long-standing cultural tradition practiced by rural communities belonging to different ethnic groups in Kandahar province. On the first day of the ‘Eid festival, members of many…
Lets engage!
There have always been concerns about the participation of youth in Afghan society given that Afghanistan holds one of the largest percentages of youth populations in the world, with a staggering 63% of the population…
Making our lives better
Zamzama is a young woman from Laghman province who recently finished school and volunteered for community work. She says: “I am very fortunate that my family has supported me in my studies, and I’m able…