((PKG)) AFGHANISTAN BEYOND WAR
((VOA Korean))
((Banner: Culture))
((Producer: Eve Unshin Lee))
((Camera: Sanghoon Lee))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Washington, D.C.))
((NATS))
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attach, Afghanistan Embassy,
Washington, D.C.))
People have gotten that image of war-torn Afghanistan through
media. I want them to focus on the beautiful side of the Afghan
life, which is the Afghan culture.
((NATS))
((Abigail, Musician))
So, we are playing three kinds of music. Were playing, of course,
the beautiful music of Afghanistan and were working hard to
preserve and promote that music.
((NATS))
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attach, Afghanistan Embassy,
Washington, D.C.))
As you know, Afghanistan is a diverse society. We have 30
ethnic groups in Afghanistan and they have different, you know,
cultural diversities in all parts of the world.
((NATS))
((Hamid Darmaan, Student))
I have the traditional Afghan turban, and then coming down I have
my vest, and this is a traditional Afghan vest for men, and under
that, its hand-stitched embroidery. Most Afghan men wear this.
((NATS))
((Bahishta Talash, Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Afghanistan))
Im wearing Afghan traditional dress. I was in Europe where we
were to represent our country, so I dressed up the way I am right
now. My fellows were so much amazed. They were like, Oh,
youre wearing a very beautiful dress, but why you are not
wearing your traditional dress? So, they were saying, We saw
what we see on the TV, on television that women are wearing the
blue burka. So, I said, Thats not my culture. So, the media
has always focused, I would say, on the negative aspects.
((NATS))
((Bahishta Talash, Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Afghanistan))
So, when I was born, due to the conflict that Afghanistan was
going through, my parents migrated to Pakistan. I used to listen
to my mom and my dad and my grandfather when they were
telling me their childhood stories, how they used to play in the
street and how everything was fine due to stability. Oh, I wish I
was born at that time, so that I could spend my childhood in my
country.
((NATS))
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attach, Afghanistan Embassy,
Washington, D.C.))
Were going through a war in Afghanistan, but the war is not
happening in all parts of Afghanistan. People, who go to
Afghanistan, they enjoy Afghanistan, especially they enjoy the
Afghan food. They never want to forget it.
((NATS))
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attach, Afghanistan Embassy,
Washington, D.C.))
The ancient history of Afghanistan, the museums of Afghanistan,
the artifacts of Afghanistan. The music is something that, you
know, very unique in Afghanistan. So, these are the beautiful
sides of Afghan society that people, I think, we would, you know,
advise them to focus on, you know, instead of the war-torn side of
the country.
((NATS))
((VOA Korean))
((Banner: Culture))
((Producer: Eve Unshin Lee))
((Camera: Sanghoon Lee))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Washington, D.C.))
((NATS))
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attach, Afghanistan Embassy,
Washington, D.C.))
People have gotten that image of war-torn Afghanistan through
media. I want them to focus on the beautiful side of the Afghan
life, which is the Afghan culture.
((NATS))
((Abigail, Musician))
So, we are playing three kinds of music. Were playing, of course,
the beautiful music of Afghanistan and were working hard to
preserve and promote that music.
((NATS))
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attach, Afghanistan Embassy,
Washington, D.C.))
As you know, Afghanistan is a diverse society. We have 30
ethnic groups in Afghanistan and they have different, you know,
cultural diversities in all parts of the world.
((NATS))
((Hamid Darmaan, Student))
I have the traditional Afghan turban, and then coming down I have
my vest, and this is a traditional Afghan vest for men, and under
that, its hand-stitched embroidery. Most Afghan men wear this.
((NATS))
((Bahishta Talash, Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Afghanistan))
Im wearing Afghan traditional dress. I was in Europe where we
were to represent our country, so I dressed up the way I am right
now. My fellows were so much amazed. They were like, Oh,
youre wearing a very beautiful dress, but why you are not
wearing your traditional dress? So, they were saying, We saw
what we see on the TV, on television that women are wearing the
blue burka. So, I said, Thats not my culture. So, the media
has always focused, I would say, on the negative aspects.
((NATS))
((Bahishta Talash, Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Afghanistan))
So, when I was born, due to the conflict that Afghanistan was
going through, my parents migrated to Pakistan. I used to listen
to my mom and my dad and my grandfather when they were
telling me their childhood stories, how they used to play in the
street and how everything was fine due to stability. Oh, I wish I
was born at that time, so that I could spend my childhood in my
country.
((NATS))
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attach, Afghanistan Embassy,
Washington, D.C.))
Were going through a war in Afghanistan, but the war is not
happening in all parts of Afghanistan. People, who go to
Afghanistan, they enjoy Afghanistan, especially they enjoy the
Afghan food. They never want to forget it.
((NATS))
((Majeed Qarar, Cultural Attach, Afghanistan Embassy,
Washington, D.C.))
The ancient history of Afghanistan, the museums of Afghanistan,
the artifacts of Afghanistan. The music is something that, you
know, very unique in Afghanistan. So, these are the beautiful
sides of Afghan society that people, I think, we would, you know,
advise them to focus on, you know, instead of the war-torn side of
the country.
((NATS))