The Guardian (UK): Musicians had hoped to keep their art alive after fleeing Taliban but now face crackdown on refugees. Ajmal Haikalzada, 44, first became a refugee when his artist father left Afghanistan for Pakistan during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s. In 2001, then a musician, he returned, singing and performing across the country
RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal Abubakar Siddique June 3, 2022 PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Zaryali is among the hundreds of Afghan musicians who have fled to neighboring Pakistan since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Soon after seizing power in August, the Taliban outlawed music and footage emerged of its fighters publicly beating and humiliating musicians and burning their instruments. The
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 29, 2022 U.S. cellist Yo-Yo Ma joined refugees from the Afghanistan National Institute of Music for a performance in Lisbon, Portugal, where the Afghan musicians have sought asylum. Ma joined young Afghan and Portuguese musicians for the performance of a Mozart piece on March 29 on a small stage at
8am: The mosque attributed to Imam Ali in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif used to host thousands of visitors from across the country each year during Nowruz festival. This year, however, no official ceremony took place in the city, as the Taliban opposed the New Year celebration, even calling the festival as not in line with
Al Jazeera: The Taliban rule and the flagging economy have seemingly put a dampener on celebrations this year. While the scenes at the shrine and mosque feel much like any other Nowruz in Afghanistan, today the numbers – even at peak hour on the eve before Nowruz – are fewer than last year. Click here
Tolo News: Residents of Kabul called for the celebration of Nawroz as the government said it does not intend to officially celebrate the first day of the 1401 solar year. Nawroz is the first day of solar year and is usually celebrated by the people and governments of some regional countries – but this year
8am: The year 1400, which is now close to an end, was full of dark shaded images that will be recorded in the history as Dark Year of the 1400s. On the occasion of welcoming the New Year of 1401, Mazar-e-Sharif, with a long history of hosting tourists and guests from across the country on
Al Jazeera: Style of cap or turban confers status and also signifies what part of the country they come from or which ethnic group they belong to. Click here to read more (external link).
NYT: The holiday marks the beginning of spring, with many in the diaspora celebrating with rebirth, renewal and, now, resistance in mind. An ancient celebration rooted in Zoroastrian tradition, Nowruz signals the beginning of spring and the new year in Afghanistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and beyond. Click here to read more (external link).
Tolo News: Afghan performers and other theater workers in the western province of Herat expressed grave concern over the fate of theater across the province, saying the art is disappearing due to limitations and political changes in the country. Herat theater workers said that many of the theater performers have left Afghanistan and women artists