Afghan-born woman makes history in Canada

Maryam Monsef, an Afghan-born woman who had migrated to Canada at a young age, has made history by winning a seat in the Canadian parliament yesterday. She is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and will represent Ontario province’s Peterborough-Kawartha district. In 1996, Monsef (who was 11 at the time), her two sisters, and their widowed mother left Afghanistan to escape the brutality and oppression of the Taliban who had taken over most of Afghanistan. In Canada, she received a Bachelor of Science degree from Trent University, and prior to her win, was involved in charity projects that raised money to help women and girls in Afghanistan. In fact, she co-founded the Red Pashmina Campaign that raised over $150,000 to promote women’s education in Afghanistan.

October 21, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education, Human Rights, Women's Rights

Afghans Win 11 Medals In Karate Championship

Afghan Karate practitioners had recently participated in the Persian Gulf Open Karate Cup in Tehran, Iran. The event, which was held on September 17th and 18th, was organized by the Iranian Shito-ryu Shukokai Union. According to Afghanistan’s Bakhtar News Agency (BNA), the Afghans came away from the event with a total of 11 medals: 5 gold, 1 silver, and 5 bronze. Overall, the Afghan team came in third. Host country, Iran finished first, and Azerbaijan finished second in the championship. A total of 16 countries had participated in the event, according to the BNA report. Besides, cricket and football (soccer), the martial arts is another area in which Afghan athletes are performing very well in international competitions.

September 30, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

Over 100 cultural artifacts to be returned to Afghanistan

The "Left foot of Zeus," one of the artifacts that will be returned to Afghanistan

Over 100 artifacts previously stolen from Afghanistan and taken to Japan through the black market will be returned to Afghanistan sometime next year, according to a report today from asiaone.com.

The items, which include the famous “Left Foot of Zeus” and a piece of a mural removed from the Bamiyan Caves were being held in Japan’s Hirayama Ikuo Silk Road Museum. The report stated that the items were being held there because of the the turmoil in Afghanistan. The organization wanted to wait until the situation in Afghanistan had settled and that they can be returned without being destroyed by an extremist regime, like the Taliban who blew up the Bamiyan statues back in 1998.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) had been working with the Japanese organization holding them to have these cultural assets returned to Afghanistan. “We have determined that Afghanistan can responsibly preserve and exhibit the cultural properties,” Noboru Noguchi, a member of the committee and the director general of the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan, said at a press conference early this month.

August 23, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Cultural Heritage

Afghanistan qualifies for 2016 Twenty20 World Cup

Player of the Match Nawroz Mangal

After a shaky start in the ICC (International Cricket Council) World Twenty20 Qualifiers, Afghanistan’s national cricket team managed to defeat Papua New Guinea (PNG) today by 6 wickets to secure themselves a spot in the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 World Cup once again.  The upcoming tournament is scheduled to be held from March 11th to April 3rd in India between 16 teams.

In today’s 20 overs play-off game, PNG opted to bat first and scored 127 runs, losing 6 wickets. Afghanistan reached the target, losing only 4 wickets. The bulk of the runs for Afghanistan came from former captain, Nawroz Mangal. He provided the team with 65 of the 128 runs they scored, and his performance earned him the Player of the Match honors. Once the Afghans won, fans rushed on to the field holding up Afghanistan’s flag and celebrating the win.

Asghar Stanikzai, who provided the Afghan team with the second highest number of runs (22) said, “We are very happy, it was important for us to qualify”.

July 23, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

Eid Mubarak – We wish you and your family a happy and blessed Eid!

July 17, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Uncategorized

To boost exports, Afghanistan plans to launch online marketplace

Hassib Rahimi, an executive with the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) recently told France’s AFP news agency that Afghanistan will launch it’s first-ever online marketplace to allow local Afghan businesses to export their products directly to world markets.

The effort will improve the Afghan economy as exports will be boosted and new jobs will be created.  “The project will be first launched in the big cities in a year. We also have plans for big campaigns to reach out the rural areas to enable people to sell their products,” Rahimi told AFP.

Through this new online marketplace, Afghans will be able to sell such items as agricultural produce, handicrafts, precious stones and carpets. According to the report, funding for the project ($20 million) will come from the UAE (United Arab Emirates) based Pride Group.

June 18, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Job Creation

Image of Buddha statue projected successfully in Afghanistan

Projection of the Bamyan Buddha in Bamyan province

A Chinese couple, Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong, successfully projected the image of the tallest Buddha in Bamyan Valley on June 6 and 7, using the latest cultural relics-friendly technology, eliciting cheers from the local people. For more photos, please check out: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2015-06/12/c_134321952.htm

June 17, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Cultural Heritage

May 15, 2015 Round Up: Good News Reports from Afghan Media

According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MoTCA), the European Union (EU) is expected to lift a long-held ban on Afghan aviation services by the end of 2015. Once the ban is lifted, various Afghan airlines will be able to fly to European destinations. – Tolo News

A cultural center will be built in Afghanistan’s central province of Bamiyan. The project, which will cost $2.5 million, will be funded by South Korea. Construction will start next year and will take 2 years complete. – Bakhtar News Agency

The United Nations Population Fund in Afghanistan (UNFPA) has donated five ambulances and three HiAce model vehicles to health care centers in Afghanistan’s central province of Daikundi. Local officials are hoping that the new vehicles will help to resolve health services issues in province. – Pajhwok

A 140-meter-long and 8-meter-wide bridge has been constructed to connect Tani District to the provincial capital (Matun) in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Khost. The bridge, which was named Segai, will  ease local transportation issues. – Khaama Press

Khalida Noori, an Afghan civil activists from Kandahar province was given the Madeleine K. Albright award by the Washington based National Democratic Institute (NDI) for her work on women’s rights in Afghanistan. – Ariana News

May 15, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Cultural Heritage, Health News, Human Rights, Job Creation, Reconstruction and Development, Women's Rights

More trees and less plastic bags

Various pollution reduction campaigns and initiatives are currently in process in order to improve the environmental conditions in Afghanistan.

For example, a tree plantation drive is currently in process in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul. According to a report yesterday (February 25, 2015) from the Bakhtar News Agency (BNA), a campaign is underway to plant one million saplings in Kabul. Kazem Humayun, an official from Afghanistan’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stressed the need for greater participation from every day citizens in the success of these sort of campaigns.

Also, according a to report yesterday from the Afghanistan Times, a two-week campaign has been launched by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags in the country.  According to the Afghanistan Times report, 500 billion plastic bags are used annually in Afghanistan, and they contribute to various types of pollution (air, water & soil). Eventually, this pollution leads to negative effects on people’s health. Ahmad Jan Naeem, the Deputy Minister of Public Health was quoted as saying: “Through this campaign our teams will try to create awareness in [the] public about [the] harms of using plastic and [the] pollution caused by it. The teams will also distribute reusable cloth bags to create [a] culture of using non plastic bags in the country. Citizens will also be told to dispose plastic-made items properly.”

February 26, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Environmental Issues, Health News

New school building inaugurated in Ghor and 2 schools reopened in Farah

Afghanistan’s Bakhtar News Agency (BNA) reported that a new building for the Ahengran Girls School in Ghor province was inaugurated earlier this week. The $130,000 project was funded by the Japanese government and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). According to the BNA report, the building has 8 classrooms, 3 administrative rooms, and other educational facilities that will serve more than 400 students.

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan’s western province of Farah, BNA reported that two schools that were closed due to a series of problem were reopened earlier this week. The education department of Farah province reopened the Naw-Bahar Primary School, and the Rokey Girls High School. Education officials said the reopening was in part due to the cooperation of local elders and leaders in the province.

While not perfect, there has been major improvements in the area of education in Afghanistan. According to US agencies, the Afghan government, and UN sources, school enrollment alone went from around 1 million to 8.7 million from 2003-2013.

January 9, 2015 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Education, Reconstruction and Development

First Soy Milk Factory To Be Built In Afghanistan

Soy Milk

The World Food Programme (WFP) reported today that the government of South Korea will contribute $12 million to the organization so that the first soy milk factory can be built in Afghanistan. WFP will work with an organization called Nutrition Education International (NEI), a non-governmental organization (NGO), to build the factory in Afghanistan’s northern province of Parwan.

The factory will produce protein-rich, sterilized soy milk from soybeans to help reduce malnutrition in the country. The WFP report added that the “residual soybean pulp from the milk-making process will be turned into chicken feed. This feed will be provided to vulnerable local women to encourage them to raise poultry to generate income”.

Cha Youngcheol, the Korean ambassador to Afghanistan said that “the Korean Government hopes the soy milk factory and chicken feed project contribute to Afghanistan’s reconstruction by supporting farmers and women to become more productive and by improving the nutrition of the Afghan people.” The factory is expected to be operational in 12 months.

December 11, 2014 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Health News, Reconstruction and Development

Upper House of Afghanistan’s Parliament Praises U19 Cricket Team

Chairman of the Meshrano Jirga, Fazel Hadi Muslimyar (left) posing with ACB Chairman, Shahzada Masood (right)

The Upper House (Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders) of Afghanistan’s parliament awarded medals to Afghanistan’s U19 (Under 19) cricket team yesterday. Chairman of the Meshrano Jirga, Fazel Hadi Muslimyar, also presented an appreciation certification to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials.

The team had come in first place in the recently held ACC (Asian Cricket Council) U-19 Premier League tournament. With this title, Afghanistan’s U19 team will now compete in the ICC (International Cricket Council) U19 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2016. Furthermore, the team had also defeated rival Pakistan 2-1 in their U19 tour in October.

The medals and certificates were given to the players and officials in a special ceremony held in the Meshrano Jirga Hall. ACB Chairman Shahzada Masood referred to the young players as “peace ambassadors, and said he believes the team will once again bring honor to the nation when they compete in the 2016 U19 World Cup.

November 26, 2014 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News