“New Afghanistan through Afghan Eyes” International Photography Exhibition opens in Kabul

The International Photography Exhibition “New Afghanistan through Afghan Eyes”, funded jointly by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the US Embassy in Kabul, opened on September 15, 2011 at the Babur Garden in Kabul. Around 800 people mainly representatives of the civil society organizations, media, and national and international organizations visited the exhibition on its opening day.
The photography exhibition aims to show the developments of Afghanistan in the last decade. The photo exhibition mainly covers the positive aspects such as Afghan people, Afghan culture and traditions, democracy, construction and development, education, health, landscapes, poverty, and day-to-day challenges.

At the opening of the exhibition, Marianne Huber, SDC Country Director in Afghanistan said, “It is a sad fact that there is a deep gap between the picture of Afghanistan in the media and the manifold realities of Afghan people. Like in all other societies Afghan people have their visions and dreams and strive to achieve them with great perseverance despite of all the challenges they are confronted with. Afghanistan is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and without a question a country with an incredibly rich and deep cultural heritage.”
She added: “This exhibition is a tale of Afghan lives in pictures. Wherever people will visit this exhibition they cannot remain untouched and will recall this Afghan view whenever they see the usual depressing media picture again.”
Najibullah Musafer (left) one of the photographers explains the concept of the exhibition to Ahmad Behzad (center), Deputy Speaker of the Parliament
Organized by the 3rd Eye Photojournalism Center, the photography exhibition is comprised of 142 photos by 14 Afghan photographers. It is open to the public in Babur Garden until September 24, 2011 and will travel afterwards to the nine provinces of Balkh, Herat, Helmand, Ghor, Daikundi, Bamyan, Badakhshan, Nangarhar and Faryab in Afghanistan. The exhibition is also planned to be shown in Switzerland and in the United States of America.

SWISS