Afghanistan under the Taliban, five years on: an assessment
Dr Davood Moradian, Director of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, will deliver a lecture at the University of St Andrews titled Afghanistan under the Taliban Five Years On: An Assessment on Thursday, 16 April 2026, from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM, at the Arts Building, Arts Lecture Theatre, St Andrews. The event is organized by the Institute of Middle East, Central Asia and Caucasus Studies (...
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.
