Rumi Night: Celebrating Shared Humanity

On the evening of September 29, 2025, the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., will host Rumi Night, a cultural gathering celebrating the shared heritage of Afghan, Persian, Jewish, Sufi, Christian, and American traditions through the timeless words of Rumi. The program will feature captivating musical performances and poetry recitations, creating a space for reflection and unity. A central part of the evening will be the launch of the Persian translation of Sara Y. Aharon&rsquo...

Jews and the Persianate World: Politics, Culture, and Historical Ties

On September 29, 2025, the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) and Georgetown University will host an international conference in Washington, D.C. titled “Jews and the Persianate World: Politics, Culture, and Historical Ties.” The event will explore centuries of shared history and cultural exchange between Jewish communities and the Persianate world. In the evening, Rumi Night will celebrate Rumi’s 818th birth anniversary, featuring music, poetry, and the...

Avicenna International Award VI: Honoring Prime Minister Edi Rama

The sixth Avicenna International Award was held in London on June 26, 2025, celebrating peace, dignity, and dialogue. Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, was honored for his leadership in promoting coexistence and for welcoming Afghan refugees, especially women activists and human rights defenders, after the occupation of Afghanistan by the Taliban. Watch full ceremony

Herat Security Dialogue XII: Reviving Hope; Synergetic Efforts

The twelfth Herat Security Dialogue (HSD12) took place on February 24–25, 2025, in Madrid, Spain, bringing together Afghan and international leaders, policymakers, and activists to address Afghanistan’s deepening crisis. Held under the theme “Afghanistan: Reviving Hope; Synergetic Efforts,” the dialogue focused on gender apartheid, human rights violations, and pathways for collective action and international accountability. The event also featured cultural pe...

The UK's Afghanistan Crossroads: where do we go from here?

After inglorious departure of Western powers from Afghanistan in 2021 and amid competing global crises , is there a way forward for the UK to get its Afghanistan's policy right after earlier blunders ?Can a human/women rights -centric engagement achieve what colonial and geopolitical objectives failed to accomplish? Davood Moradian is an alumnus of the University of St Andrews. He got his PhD from the School of International Relations in 2006. Thereafter, he returned to Afg...

Who were our winners of the Avicenna Peace Award-V?

Ms Veronica Doubleday and Professor John Baily have dedicated their life’s work to the music and people of Afghanistan, actively supporting Afghan music and musicians throughout the last four decades of conflict. Veronica has a unique repertoire of traditional songs in Dari Persian, accompanying herself on the Daireh (frame drum). At the same time, John is an accomplished player of the Afghan rubab and Herati dutar (types of lute). As a duo, or working with other noted Afghan musicians,...

Avicenna International Award for Intercultural Cooperation for Peace-V Award Ceremony

Friday, 28 June 2024 18:00 - 21:00 BST Venue: London, UK Our esteemed guests who have received our invitation letters are cordially requested to confirm their attendance at their earliest convenience to Ms. Haanya Malik at (hmalik@aissonline.org). For any information, please get in touch with us.

The Duel of Jihadists in the Public Sphere of Afghanistan: The Online War Between the ISKP and the Taliban Groups

In its 10th volume, Mehr Brief published "The Duel of Jihadists in the Public Sphere of Afghanistan: The Online War Between the ISKP and the Taliban Groups", by Abu Moslim Khorasani is a researcher at Leipzig University.

Unpacking the Nexus: Taliban's Control over Affiliated Terror Groups

In its 9th volume, Mehr Brief published "Unpacking the Nexus: Taliban's Control over Affiliated Terror Groups", by Amit Kumar is a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of  Humanities and Social Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Rajasthan, India. & Dr. Veena Ramachandran is Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Rajasthan, India.

Ezzatollah Zarghami, the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts &Tourism for the Islamic Republic of Iran
Extends his message on the occasion of the Night of Herat event

Ezzatollah Zarghami, the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism for the Islamic Republic of Iran, extends his message on the occasion of the Night of Herat event, delivered by Dr. Maryam Jalali, Deputy of Handicrafts in the ministry. ‏In the name of the Lord of Life and Wisdom, Wise thinkers from Iran and Afghanistan, Greetings and blessings be upon you. It is a pleasure that Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of...