“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

Fragments of Tradition, Beauty and Hope, photos by youth Bamiyan

On 31 March 2011 the opening of the exhibition Fragments of Tradition, Beauty and Hope, Photographs by 13 young men and women from Bamiyan takes place at 16.00h in the Prince Claus Fund Gallery. The Prince claus Fund is honoured that HE Mr Ben Knapen, Minister for European Affairs and International Cooperation, has kindly agreed to open the exhibition. In the province of Bamiyan, situated in Afghanistan’s central highlands, thirteen young men and women (amateur photographers) from different districts were invited to look at their environment through the lens of a camera.
The exhibition shows the results of a workshop offered by the 3rd Eye Photojournalism Center and supported by the Prince Claus Fund. The photographs illustrate the resilience of people in the midst of conflict. These photographs also give a unique and personal insight into the geographic, social and political context of life in Afghanistan and the reconstruction and peace-building efforts that are going on. These pictures of Afghan society, culture and landscape will enhance our understanding of Afghanistan through the eyes of young Afghan photographers. The aim of the workshops was to build the capacity of young amateur photographers in Afghanistan. In the workshop, photography functioned as an instrument for social development, cultural reflection and preservation, women’s emancipation, capacity building and youth empowerment.
The exhibition can be seen from 31 March 2011 untill 17 June 2011.