Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Tokyo. Afghan News Ambassador s Message Embassy Activities Culture Project

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1 March 2015 NEWSLETTER Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Tokyo CONTENTS Afghan News Ambassador s Message Embassy Activities Culture Project AFGHAN NEWS Afghanistan Becoming Good Place for Women: Rula Ghani International Women's Day was celebrated across Afghanistan on March the 8th and First Lady Rula Ghani has stated that Afghanistan is becoming a good place for women as increasing numbers are actively participating in the country s political, economic and social sectors. First Lady Ghani expressed her hope and optimism for the future of women in Afghanistan due to the strength of Afghan women and as a consequence of the National Unity Government s implementation of programs which are revolutionizing the role of women in Afghan society. Such drastic developments in the role of women in the country is highlighted by the fact that currently twenty-seven percent of all politicians in Afghanistan's Upper and Lower Houses are women. 1

2 In his speech for International Women s Day, His Excellency President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani emphasized that Afghanistan would continue to create sustainable transformations for women in society, which are promised in the country s constitution. Today, there is vibrancy in Afghanistan, especially with the vast improvements in women s rights which are internationally regarded as one of the most tangible gains the country has achieved in recent years. For example, in 2001, Afghanistan had 20,000 teachers, all male; today, there are 200,000 teachers, including 60,000 women, who are teaching some 10 million children, of which more than 4 million are girls. As part of International Women s Day, the United Nations recognized Afghanistan s achievements when it released a press statement which said that significant improvements have occurred in the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan and that Afghanistan is on the path to becoming a nation in which every women and girl is empowered to exercise her right to participate in all spheres of public and private life, to have her voice heard in politics and peace processes, and to be able to contribute to her community s and nation s development through improved access to education, economic opportunities, and a life free from violence and discrimination. One such women who is participating in all spheres of public life is Ms. Atifa Mansoori who, in the presence of First Lady Rula Ghani, received the Franco-German Award for the Afghan Woman of the Year in recognition of her efforts in empowering women through capacity building, providing an opportunity to work and teaching. Ms. Atifa Mansoori is the director of Abdulah Moslem Company, which was established in 2011, that exports and imports such materials as saffron to Dubai, India, and Iran. Her company also exports Afghan elegant handicrafts and beautiful carpets woven by women to other countries. The company employs a large number of women at all levels of the company s management and production structure and is expanding its business opportunities across Asia. In further international recognition of Afghanistan's significant achievements in the lives of women and gender equality, Ms. Nilofar Rahmani received the International Women of Courage award for the year 2015 in Washington DC from the United States First Lady Michel Obama. 21 year old Ms. Nilofar Rahmani is the 1st female pilot in the history of Afghanistan and continues to serve her country with distinction in an occupation that requires great courage as she and her colleagues strive for peace and equality for all Afghans. 2

3 H.E. President Ghani, H.E. CEO Dr. Abdullah and H.E. Foreign Minister Mr. Rabbani Attend Five Day State Visit of United States Highlighting Afghanistan s increasing role as an equal partner in the international community, His Excellency President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani had the rare and privileged honor of addressing the United States Congress. H.E. President Ghani received continuous standing ovations from the Congressional members in what was symbolic of the approval and confidence in H.E. President Ghani and His Excellency Chief Executive Office Dr. Abdullah Abdullah s leadership, vision and strategy for revitalizing the country. On this five day state visit to the United States by H.E. President Ghani, H.E. CEO Dr. Abdullah and by Foreign Minister His Excellency Mr. Salahuddin Rabbani, the need for the international community s continued assistance to Afghanistan as the country shifts from a decade of transition to a decade of transformation was emphasised. Important talks have been held regarding the country s future direction with leading figures such as with Their Excellencies President Barack Obama and United Nations Secretary General Dr. Ban Kimoon. 3

4 My Dear Japanese Friends, In Kabul, His Excellency Chief Executive Officer Dr. Abdullah Abdullah met with United Nations special envoy deputy to Afghanistan, The Honorable Mr. Tadamichi Yamamoto and discussed the organization s ongoing work in the country, Afghanistan s progress on electoral reforms as well as in the peace process currently being undertaken. H.E. CEO Dr. Abdullah highlighted the long-term security and economic efforts being enacted by the National Unity Government which would ensure the country s momentum toward sustainable development is maintained. The Hon. Mr. Yamamoto illustrated the importance of generating general consensus between the people and government on peace efforts while noting that reforms would increase the public s trust and participation in the country s institutions. He added that optimism existed in regard to maintaining peace and stability in the country, development and improvement in life condition of the Afghan people. H.E. CEO Dr. Abdullah expressed His gratitude for the United Nation s cooperation and support in reforming the country's law and electoral institutions. AMBASSADOR S MESSAGE Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie One of the most delightful pleasures of living in Japan is watching the cherry blossoms announce the arrival of spring around this time of the year and my Afghan brothers and sisters are also readily welcoming the warmer weather. However, March also reminds us of a tragic event that brought great grief to the people of Japan and Afghanistan. This month marked the fourth anniversary of the March 11 th earthquake that swept the Tohoku region. To this day, Tohoku s residents are still suffering from the aftermath, many unable to return to their homes. When the disaster struck, the Embassy raised donations among the Afghan community in Japan to help our Japanese friends. I feel personally connected to the victims, since I travelled to the temporary settlement homes in Ibaraki to meet with the residents. Afghanistan is grateful for the support it has received from the noble people of Japan, and we will do our best to return the generosity in times of hardship. On March 21 st, we celebrated Nowroz, the 1394 Solar New Year. For the people of Afghanistan, Nowros is a festive day spent among family members and friends. Just as the blossoms are blooming in Japan, the same is occurring in Afghanistan as well as many beautiful tulips on display at various New Year festivals. I pray that the rebirth of spring will bring about joy for the families of Japan as well symbolize the chance of a new beginning for those struggling in life. 4

5 EMBASSY ACTIVITIES Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Attends Great Japan East Earthquake Memorial & Tokyo Metropolitan Peace Day Ceremony It was with a heavy heart that, on March , Ambassador Dr. Fatimie attended a somber memorial and tribute in recognition of the suffering, devastation and loss of life caused by the Great Japan East Earthquake and subsequent tsunami. The memorial was attended by Their Imperial Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan, His Excellency Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and 1,200 other esteemed participants who all observed a moment of silence at 2:46 PM, the time of the quake four years ago. His Imperial Majesty The Emperor of Japan gave a speech which reflected on the great difficulties that the people in affected regions have overcome and that the lessons of the disaster should never be forgotten. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie lay a wreath of flowers at the ceremony on behalf of the people and Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. On the previous day, Ambassador Dr. Fatimie participated in the Tokyo Metropolitan Peace Day which is an annual memorial ceremony which seeks to increase public awareness of the need for peace and to reflect on the suffering caused by war. Seated beside Ambassador of the United States Mrs. Caroline Kennedy, Ambassador Dr. Fatimie took this valuable opportunity to represent Afghanistan at the very center of a setting which not only promoted peace but demanded it as a standard to which all governments around the world should strive to achieve. 5

6 Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Accompanies H.E. Minister Mr. Durrani to Japanese Universities Ambassador Dr. Fatimie accompanied Afghanistan's Minister for Rural Rehabilitation and Development His Excellency Mr. Nasir Ahmad Durrani and His Senior Adviser Mr. Ahmad Tamim Asey to the Tokyo University of Agriculture and to Nippon Sports Science University. Their Excellencies were warmly welcomed by the universities Presidents Dr. Katsumi Takano and Mr. Kenshiro Matsunami. Afghan students were present and both Presidents pledged to increase the number of Afghan students accepted on scholarships which will act to directly facilitate self-reliant development in Afghanistan which H.E. Minister Mr. Durrani communicated His deep gratitude for. Embassy Hosts Reception for Afghan Peace Scholarship Graduates Japan has played a leading role in ensuring that Afghanistan not only achieves peace and development but also, more importantly, achieves self-reliant peace and selfreliant development. Hosted by His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Fatimie, the Embassy's reception for twentynine Afghan students graduating from Masters Degrees through the Peace Scholarship program of the Japanese Government, clearly illustrates such invaluable contributions by the noble nation of Japan. In what was a commemoration of achievements made before the graduates return to Afghanistan to participate in the development of their country, presentations of theses by graduate students highlighted the practical nature of the degrees studied which included a diverse range of specialties including in Engineering, Bio-resources, Agriculture and international development. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Participates in 70th Anniversary of the UN Symposium The United Nations faces many challenges in its capacity to effectively deal with crises in the contemporary world. On the invitation of MoFA Japan, Ambassador Dr. Fatimie represented Afghanistan and participated in a symposium which addressed such challenges while recognizing the international body's 70th Anniversary. Headlining the event's proceedings were two speeches delivered by Prime Minister of Japan, His Excellency Mr. Shinzo Abe and by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. 6

7 Embassy Participates in Minato-ku World Carnival On March the 7th, SL Square at Shimbashi Station hosted the final Carnival in which fifteen Embassy's participated. On this special occasion of cross-cultural interaction with the people of Japan, Ambassador Dr. Fatimie delivered an impassioned speech emphasizing the importance of the Afghan-Japan friendship and the reality that more similarities than differences are shared by the people of the world. The Afghan Embassy booth received some four-hundred visitors, who enjoyed gift bags of nuts and sultanas, which are one of Afghanistan's largest exports, while enjoying the Afghan jewelry, clothes, posters and language material that was on display. Afghan musical group "Chalpasa" played a vital role in the event and their beautifully mesmerizing music added to the vibrant atmosphere. Three days earlier, in what was the final of the Embassy's three event series for the Minato-ku Council World Carnival, sixty-four honorable guests of the Japanese public were warmly welcomed to the Embassy. The Embassy's Deputy Head and Minister Counsellor, His Excellency Mr. Abdul Ghafoor Poya Faryabi delivered an important speech which illustrated the people of Afghanistan's strong affiliation with and deep respect for the noble people of Japan. For the six week duration of the carnival, it was a great pleasure for the Embassy to treat some seventy guests from the honorable Japanese community to fifteen-plus minute tours of the Embassy as part of the Minato-ku World Carnival's Stamp Rally. Guests enjoyed learning about Afghanistan and Afghan-Japan relations while touring the Embassy and viewing such places as the Embassy library, corridor, reception hall and Embassy rooftop next to the Tokyo Tower. Embassy Farewells Minister Counsellor Mr. Faryabi It was a sad day on March the 20th as Minister Counsellor Mr. Abdul Ghafoor Poya Faryab s mission in Japan came to an end. Since 2012, Minister Counsellor Mr. Faryabi has served the people and Government of Afghanistan in Tokyo undertaking various capacities. At a reception to honor His contributions, speeches were given by Ambassador Dr. Fatimie, Third Secretary Mrs. Paikan and the Public Affairs Officer in what was a somber occasion for all involved. 7

8 CULTURE PROJECT Nowros ~New Solar Year 1394~ What is Nowros? Nowros is a combination of two Dari words. The first word now means new and the second word ros means day; together they mean New Day. Nowros is the name for the celebrations of the New Year in many communities around the world. The exact beginning of the New Year occurs when the season changes from winter to spring, which usually happens on March 20 or 21 each year. Cultural Roots People all over the world celebrate Nowros, but it originated in the geographical area called Persia in the Middle East and Central Asia. Nowros became a popular celebration among the communities that grew from these Dari influenced cultural areas. Though the physical region called Persia no longer exists, the traditions of Nowros are strong among people in many countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Canada and the United States. Nowros is a holiday that is celebrated by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious backgrounds. Nowros is also a time for family and friends to gather and celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of the next. Children have a fourteen -day vacation from school, and most adults do not work during the Nowros festivities. Throughout the holiday period, friends and family gather at each other s houses for meals and conversation. Preparing for Nowros starts a few weeks prior to the New Year with a traditional spring cleaning of the home. At this time it is also cus- Nowros in Afghanistan Jahenda Bālā: Jahenda Bala is the first day to celebrate the New Year and is attended by high-ranking government officials such as the Vice-President, Ministers, and Provincial Governors. It is a specific religious ceremony performed in the Blue Mosque of Mazar that is believed to be the site of the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph of Islam. This is the biggest recorded Nowroz ceremony gathering up to about 200,000 people gather from all over Afghanistan in Mazar 8

9 central park to celebrate raising a special banner. Haft Mēwa: In Afghanistan, people prepare Haft Mēwa. Haft is the Dari word for the number seven and Mēwa is the Dari word for fruits. Haft Mewa is like a Fruit salad made from 7 different Dried fruits served in original syrup. The 7 dried fruits are: Raisin, Senjed (the dried fruit of the oleaster tree), Pistachio, Hazelnut, Prune (dry fruit of Apricot), Walnut and Almond or another species of Plum fruit. Special Foods of Nowros Just like other cultural celebrations, many special foods are prepared during Nowros. In Afghan Nowros, people cook Sabzi Chalaw, a dish made from rice and spinach. Māhī wa Jelabī ; Fried Fish and Jelabi. is also famous special dish for the Nowros days and is the most often meal in picnics. In Afghanistan, it is a common custom among the affianced families that the fiancé's family give presents or prepare special dishes for the fiancée's family. Moreover, the bakeries prepare a special type of cookie, called Kulcha-e Nowrozī, which is only baked for Nowroz. Embassy of Afghanistan in Tokyo Address: Azabudai, Minato ward, Tokyo, Tel: / Fax: