On March 27, 2022, The Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies organized an online discussion on ‘Nowruzistan: Shared Heritage; Regional Cooperation' with participation of speakers from Nowruzistan (the Nowruz region – South-Central-Asia and Eurasia) and international scholars including;

• Dr Omar Sharifi, Professor at American University of Afghanistan and Senior Fellow and Kabul Director of American Institute of Afghanistan Studies (Afghanistan);
• Professor Jennifer Murtazashvili, Founding Director of the Center for Governance and Markets and Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh (U.S.)
• Dr Dagikhudo Dagiev, Senior Research Associate in the Department of Academic Research and Publications (Tajikistan)
• Sen (Ret) Afrasiab Khattak, Former Senator and Former Chairperson Human Rights Commission (Pakistan);
• Dr Somaye Morovati, Author, Translator and Senior Researcher at Center for Middle East Strategic Studies (Iran)
• And moderation by Dr Rohullah Amin, Senior Research Fellow (Afghanistan)

The discussion attempted to on issues around;

1. Nowruz origins, history, geography and evolution.
2. Nowruz as cultural memory; Variations of customs, traditions, rituals and practices.
3. Nowruz Representations and symbolism
4. Nowruz as cultural identity – The potential of Nowruz serving as a regional platform for convergence and/or divergence.
5. The politics of Nowruz: How states have used or abused Nowruz – the case of Taliban?
6. Nowruz in 21st century – religious discourse, policy initiatives, civil society and media.
7. How to preserve Nowruz and larger cultural heritage of Afghanistan and the region?
8. How Nowruz can bring nations in the “Nowruzistan” region together?

To listen to the conversation, please click on the link below.

https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1PlJQaAkWyMJE?s=20