Culture & Arts
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No Market Leaves Bamyan Artists Struggling to Sell Their Work
DID Press: An increasing number of painters and calligraphers in Afghanistan’s Bamyan province say the absence of a viable market for artworks has become their most serious challenge, despite notable growth in visual arts in the region. Artists say many…
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Iran, Afghanistan Pledge to Expand Scientific and Cultural Cooperation
DID Press: Iran’s cultural attaché in Afghanistan and the head of Afghanistan’s Sahar Studies Center emphasized the development of bilateral scientific, cultural, and educational cooperation between the two countries. Dr. Hosseini, Iran’s cultural attaché in Afghanistan, met with Fazl-ur-Rahman Auria,…
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Bamyan Buddha Reimagined in NY as Symbol of Peace, Cultural Memory
DID Press: An eight-meter-tall sculpture of the Bamyan Buddha, titled “Light Shining Upon the Cosmos,” will be installed in Manhattan, New York, in spring 2026. Created by Vietnamese American artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen, the work is intended as a symbol…
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Yalda in Central Asia: Shared Cultural Heritage Beyond Borders
DID Press: Yalda Night, an ancient tradition rooted in the broader sphere of Persian culture, continues to be observed across Central Asia under different names and forms, offering renewed potential for regional cultural convergence. Marking the longest night of the…
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Yalda Night in Afghanistan: Ancient Tradition Survives amid Restrictions
DID Press: Yalda Night, one of Afghanistan’s oldest cultural traditions, continues to be celebrated in homes and family gatherings despite social restrictions. The observance, marking the longest night of the year, symbolizes family unity, hope, and cultural resilience. Afghans celebrate…
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UN-Habitat: Herat Jami Mosque Symbol of Afghanistan’s Heritage
DID Press: UN-Habitat has highlighted Herat Grand Jami Mosque (Masjid-i Jāmi) as one of the most magnificent and valuable Islamic monuments in Afghanistan and Central Asia, emphasizing the urgent need for its preservation. Built over 800 years ago, the mosque…
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Yalda Night: Ancient Solstice Festival and Symbol of Cultural Resilience
DID Press: Yalda Night, the oldest surviving festival from the ancient world, symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and represents a shared cultural memory across the Iranian civilizational sphere. From Iran and Afghanistan to Central Asia and the Caucasus,…
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Pre-Christian Era Archaeological Site Discovered in Laghman
DID Press: Officials from the Taliban-run Directorate of Information and Culture in Laghman province announced the discovery of an ancient archaeological site dating back to the pre-Christian era in Si-Tan village, located in the Sao Valley of Alinegar district. The…
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Rapid Urban Expansion Threatens Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage
DID Press: UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has warned that uncontrolled urban growth and climate change are posing a serious threat to Afghanistan’s cultural and architectural heritage. UN-Habitat highlighted that unplanned city expansion is increasingly damaging historic neighborhoods and traditional…
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Famed Balkh Poet Clarifies Detention by Taliban Intelligence
DID Press: After being released, Sayed Sikandar Hussaini Bamdad, a renowned poet from Balkh province and head of the Ferdowsi Library in Mazar-i-Sharif, who was previously detained by the Taliban government’s intelligence agency, announced on Facebook that his detention was…
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