On September 16, 2010, Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) and the Embassy of Afghanistan co-hosted a celebration of Afghanistan’s National Day, welcoming approximately 300 members of Canada’s diplomatic, government, non-profit, and Afghan communities largely from Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. Recently- appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Morris Rosenberg, attended as guest of honour.
In welcoming the audience, Khalil Z. Shariff, CEO of AKFC spoke of the close relationship between Canada, Afghanistan, and the Aga Khan Development Network. “For many years, and especially for the last decade, the institutions of the Aga Khan Development Network and His Highness the Aga Khan, personally, have been working very closely with the government of Afghanistan, with the people of Afghanistan, and with the government and people of Canada to provide whatever support we can to the processes of development in Afghanistan,” he said. “It has been a complex process, but one in which we see signs of hope everyday.”
This message of hope was reiterated by Afghanistan’s Ambassador, Jawed Ludin. “I am very grateful that I am able to give special thanks today on behalf of myself, on behalf of my colleagues, and on behalf of the people of Afghanistan to the government of Canada, to Canadians who have been our friends and partners over the past nine years,” he said.
The evening also featured an art exhibit and Afghan classical music presented by the Mushfiq Hashemi Ensemble. The exhibit, organized by the Embassy with the help of the Kabul-based NGO Chelcheragh, included paintings and contemporary interpretations of Afghanistan’s miniature, calligraphy and arabesque work.
This work, said Mr. Rosenberg, “is a reminder of the progress that is being made in Afghanistan, and of the notion that art and artists really can only flourish in an environment that is secure, that is stable, and where human rights, including the freedom of expression are respected.”
