UNESCO Kabul Newsletter November 2010 Issue No 7 UNAMA/Fardin Vaezi UNAMA/Fardin Vaezi During the first International Conference on Inclusive and Chil

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1 UNESCO Kabul Newsletter Issue No 7 November 2010 Peace- An Achievable Goal, Not A Dream Peace is the beloved term that everyone talks about in Afghanistan from the Government Officials to the people in the remotest part of the country despite the fact that the ray of peace that shined in 2001 does not seem as promising as it was and the shadow of insecurity still threatens many Afghans across the country. The 21st of September each year is a unique opportunity for reflecting on the importance of peace in a country like Afghanistan and to remind ourselves that peace, though challenging to achieve, is attainable. The theme of this year s peace day peace = future perfectly fits in the situation of Afghanistan. The International Community should support the Afghan Government and people in this difficult condition to maintain hope for a sustainable peace for the future. In this regard, UNESCO Office in Kabul works to foster dialogue and cultural interactions in society as the best ground for settling disputes which helps prevent the destructive consequences of wars and conflicts. Recent international conference on culture held in Kabul was an attempt to encourage this process. To further the notion of peace, the Afghan Government has recently established the High Peace Council of Afghanistan as a major step to follow dialogue and negotiations with the Afghan children in Bamiyan rally for peace (2007) UNESCO IN THIS ISSUE: Child-Friendly and Inclusive Educaion/2 Literate Women, Literate Society/3 International Conference on Culture/4 Heritage of Herat/5 Ghazni, the Capital of Islamic Civilization/6 Quantity versus Quality/7 oppositions. This is in fact a major practical step in Afghanistan toward peaceful settling of disputes. The UNESCO constitution states that the actual peace develop and sustain in the minds of the humanity and therefore we believe that peace is not inaccessible for Afghans as long as they hold it as a truth in their hearts and minds. Hence the notion of peace is not a dream and the day which all Afghans embrace peace will not be far. Shigeru Aoyagi, UNESCO Kabul Director and Representative to Afghanistan

2 UNESCO Kabul Newsletter November 2010 Issue No 7 UNAMA/Fardin Vaezi UNAMA/Fardin Vaezi During the first International Conference on Inclusive and Child-Friendly Education in Kabul: Afghanistan Adopts Inclusive and Child Friendly Education Declaration The conference participants discuss the subject in group discussion In early October, the Afghan Ministry of Education with UNESCO support held the first National Conference on Inclusive and Child-Friendly Education during which the Afghanistan Declaration on Inclusive and Child-Friendly Education was adopted. The declaration was drafted and adopted by more than 120 senior delegates from Ministry of Education, other government ministries, provincial education authorities, universities, NGOs, the donor community and UN agencies. The declaration stresses the importance of promoting non-discrimination in education and providing future generations with values, Ministry of Education and UNESCO jointly facilitate the Conference basic literacy skills and life skills. Inclusive and child-friendly education should be seen as an educational and development approach that seeks to address the learning needs of all children and youth, with special focus on those who are most vulnerable to exclusion from and within the education system. Ms. Marina Patrier, UNESCO Kabul Education Program Specialist said, The role of the education system in combating poverty and social exclusion is pivotal for successful development, and that we will not be able to reach the Education for All (EFA) goals unless all schools become inclusive to all children. School children, chanting teacher and education song at the conference In Afghanistan, considering its complicated social structure, the adoption of Inclusive Education by the Ministry of Education is a great step toward including all children with different abilities, backgrounds and circumstances in the formal education system which will support the social and economic development of a war-torn country. The National Conference on Inclusive and Child-Friendly Education, which was held in the midst of the many problems and challenges facing this part of the world, opens a door of hope for the sustainable development, peace and prosperity for the future of Afghanistan. UNAMA/Fardin Vaezi PAGE 2

3 Issue No 7 November 2010 UNESCO Kabul Newsletter Celebration of International Literacy Day in Afghanistan: Literate women, literate society A literacy Learner in central province of Bamiyan-ELA project International Literacy Day bears special significance in Afghanistan a country where almost three quarters of the population is illiterate. The theme of this year s Literacy Day, The Power of Women s Literacy highlights the fact that only 12 per cent of Afghan women have basic reading and writing skills. President Hamed Karzai in the commemoration ceremony of International Literacy Day in Kabul stressed the importance of literacy in today s Afghanistan for development and nation building. Every day of the week and the year should be Literacy Day for us, because we need it urgently in our country. said President Karzai. I don t want Afghans to leave their country for the sake of education and other reasons -- we should work to have everything including quality education here in Afghanistan. Literacy is a fundamental human right contributing to the improvement of health conditions, socioeconomic standards, and the overall quality of life, said Mr. Shigeru Aoyagi, UNESCO Kabul Director, in a press conference to commemorate International Literacy Day. He reaffirmed UNES- CO s support to the Ministry of Education for eliminating illiteracy in the country. By 2013, UNESCO s Enhancement of Literacy in Afghanistan (ELA) programme funded by the Government of Japan aims at providing quality literacy education to 600,000 beneficiaries, 60 per cent of them women, across Afghanistan. The ELA programme will also provide skills development opportunities to some graduates of the 9-month literacy classes. The Afghan Ministry of Education in its second National Education Strategic Plan (NESP II) plans to raise the rate of literacy to 50 per cent by This is essential in the socio-economic development of Afghanistan in the long term. UNESCO /M. Amin Sadiqi PAGE 3

4 UNESCO Kabul Newsletter November 2010 Issue No 7 Safeguarding cultural heritage for sustainable development The UNESCO Office in Kabul and the Ministry of Information & Culture held the first International conference since 2003 for the Safeguarding of Afghanistan s Cultural Heritage in Kabul from 18th- 21st October, highlighting the important role culture plays in nation building, and sustainable development in Afghanistan. Representatives from the government, including H.E Dr. Sayed Makhdum Raheen, Minister of Information and Culture, H.E. Omar Sultan, Deputy Minister for Information and Dr. Sultan Hussain Hesari, Minister of Urban Development along with national and international experts discussed the current state of cultural heritage in Afghanistan and highlighted potential steps to be taken in the future. Dr. Raheen highlighted the destructive effect of conflict on the nation s cultural heritage, stating; Many historical monuments suffered severe physical damage during the war and several of these are in an extremely poor state of repair, requiring urgent conservation to preserve them for future generations and to assist the national economy through the promotion of sustainable heritage tourism. This conference should be a turning point for the re-commitment of all stakeholders to consolidate their efforts for the safeguarding of Afghan cultural heritage stated Mr. Shigeru Aoyagi, UNESCO Country Director and Representative to Afghanistan. This was the first major conference on Afghanistan s cultural heritage since 2003 and follows the High-Level Round Table on Culture for Development, organized within the framework of the UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which took place in New York from 20 to 22 September. The Ministry of Information and Culture aims to promote this as a forum for dialogue on culture for development in Afghanistan to help set the agenda in the coming years for the integration of cultural approaches to development within existing development programs. In the final communiqué of the conference the participants called for a more coordinated approach to the preservation and conservation of Afghanistan s varied cultural heritage, and an integrated and sustainable approach to any potential development of the country s unique heritage. UNESCO /M. Amin Sadiqi PAGE 4 The Conference participants

5 Issue No 7 November 2010 UNESCO Kabul Newsletter The Heritage of Herat The historical monuments of Herat are numerous and include Gawharshad mausoleum that forms a central part of the Mussala complex and the five famous Minarets built in the late 15th century. UNESCO has been undertaking conservation work on this mausoleum for several years, with completion due in 2010 / The 5th Minaret that survives in the complex has been in an unstable condition having been affected by conflict over the years and has been temporarily stabilized by the efforts of UNESCO and the Ministry of Information and Culture. However, further technical rehabilitation work will be required to ensure the long term survival of the monument, by potentially decreasing the angle of incline. In addition to the Mausoleum, there are other important and well known monuments in Herat which have been put on Afghanistan s Tentative List of World Heritage for possible inscription to the World Heritage List in the future. UNESCO /Reza Sharifi Herat Minaret built in 15th century- Herat. Herat is the largest city in western Afghanistan and the capital city of Herat province. The name Herat is derived from the Hari Rud river (which in Old Iranian means Harayu, Golden Water ), which flows 1100 Kilometers from the mountains of central Afghanistan and after flowing through Herat terminates in the Kara-Kum desert of Turkmenistan. UNESCO /Reza Sharifi Gowhardshad mausoleum- 15th century, Herat PAGE 5

6 ر UNESCO Kabul Newsletter November 2010 Issue No 7 An Insight into the History of Ghazni - Capital of Islamic Culture and Civilization in 2013 Zaher Shah The tomb of Hakim Sana I Ghaznavi, the famous Persian Poet of 11th Century in Ghazni Ghazni is one of the most ancient cities of Afghanistan with a rich and varied historical background. Recently nominated by ISESCO (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as the Capital of Islamic Civilization in 2013, this nomination has highlighted the central role Ghazni played as a rising power in the region and its influence on the culture, economy and politics that we can observe today. The name Ghazni is derived from the word kanza which originates from kanz/ganj meaning treasure. The city is geographically located around Zabulistan and numerous historians such as Claudius Ptolemaeus in the 2nd century AD and the famous Chinese explorer, Tsuan Tsang in 7th century AD, having mentioned Ghazni in their writings. The famous dynasty of the Ghaznavids was founded by Sebuktigin in the 10th century upon him succeeding his fatherin-law, Alp Tigin, as ruler of the territories surrounding the city of Ghazni. Sebuktigin s son, Sultan Mahmud, expanded the empire in the region so that it stretched from the Oxus River to the Indus Valley and the Indian Ocean, reaching as far as Raay and Hamadan in the west. Under Mahmud, Ghazni became one of the most important and beautiful cities of the Islamic world and was known as the The Bride of all Cities. Mahmud formed a strong relationship with the leaderships in Balkh through its local Emir Abu Nasr Mohammad who paid homage to Sultan and after his death Mahmud then brought Balkh under his leadership. This alliance greatly helped him during his expeditions into Northern India. From a cultural viewpoint, Mahmud was a great patron of learning and supported many poets, scientists and writers. His court was full of scholars including Ferdosi the great poet, Behaqi the historian, Al-Biruni the scholar and Abubakr Ibn Abdula the calligrapher, whom were invited from all around the world. During his reign, Ghazni became a city of mosques, madrasas (religious schools) and libraries. Ghazni has long been the host of several religions including Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam and from each era numerous archaeological and historical objects have been discovered in the region. UNESCO, in support of the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC), and in cooperation with Istituto Italiano per l Africa e l Oriente (IsI AO), have implemented a restoration project at the mausoleum at Abdul Razaq on the outskirts of the city, which on completion will form a new museum of Islamic Art. UNESCO hopes to encourage others to join in the efforts for the rehabilitation of the cultural heritage of Ghazni in order to support the Afghan Government in conserving and promoting heritage in a sustainable manner. As a result of these ongoing rehabilitation works on the historic monuments of the province, it is hoped that Ghazni s thriving past will once again be recognized internationally. PAGE 6

7 Issue No 7 November 2010 UNESCO Kabul Newsletter Quality versus Quantity Media growth is an outstanding achievement of the Afghan Government which is unprecedented in the country s history. According to Mr. Mobarez Rashedi, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture currently about 900 media outlets operate in Afghanistan which include 55 private run television channels. Mr. Rashedi stresses that the new media law in Afghanistan guarantees the freedom of speech and free operation of media in Afghanistan which is also highlighted in the Afghan Constitution. The media law is not only unique in our history, but is also leading among the countries in the region. Mr. Rashedi says. Despite the expansion of media in country, daunting challenges still exist for the smooth working of journalists and media outlet workers. Security, like other social aspects, directly threatens the works of journalists and media professionals. Apart to that, low quality programs and output of media is a serious concern for the media stakeholders. UNESCO as the advocate for the free and transparent flow of information in society supports the Ministry of Information and Culture to further promote media activities in Afghanistan especially concerning quality. To that end, In September 2010 UNES- CO under the International Programme for Development of Communication (IPDC) through a local partner NAI Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan launched a new project aiming at strengthening the capacity of journalists news production. 110 journalists from different provinces across Afghanistan, working in different media outlets radio, television and print will participate to the training courses organized by NAI in Kabul. The training aims to promote the democratic process in Afghanistan by strengthening the media s role in campaigning for greater press freedom and independence. Radio and Television as the main medium of media in Afghanistan, play an important role in awareness raising and state building as the majority of Afghans lack literacy skills, essential requirements for working in this medium. We aim to promote the quality of news production as the main publicly-perceived feature of media. says Sayed Habibullah, UNESCO Kabul Communication and Information Focal Point, We have a significant increase in the quantity of news in Afghanistan, and we should focus more seriously on the quality of the programs. UNESCO /M. Amin Sadiqi PAGE 7

8 The wide diffusion of culture, and the education of humanity for justice and liberty and peace are indispensible to the dignity of men and constitute a sacred duty which all the nations must fulfill in a spirit of mutual assistance and concern. UNESCO Constitution UNESCO Kabul publication Inclusive and Child-Friendly Education in Afghanistan - Success Stories, highlights how children who used to be out of schoool are now benefitting from the inclusive education programmes implemented throughout Afghanistan by UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and its many partner organisations in the Inclusive Education Coordination Working Group (IECWG). The book is published in English and the two national languages of Afghanistan; Dari and Pashto. The Inclusive, Learning- Friendly Environment Toolkit provides detailed guidelines for how Inclusive and Child-Friendly Education can be implemented in schools throughout Afghanistan. UNESCO Kabul is working along the Afghan Government to promote peace, through culture, education, communication and information. We are working to nurture peace in the minds of people. Please share your feedback and comments to: Mohammad Amin Sadiqi- Editor and Public Information Officer a.sadiqi@unesco.org Telephone: +93 (0) Website: AF/2010/PI/H/4