From the left: Ayesha Wolasmal, Terje Watterdal, and Norunn Grande
This autumn marks 25 years since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan – and five years since the Taliban returned to power. On 26–29 October, we invite you to Afghanistan Week in Oslo: three days of seminars, conversations and debate about a country Norway still has strong ties to.
Afghanistan is going through a dramatic period. The country is at war with Pakistan, nearly half the population needs humanitarian assistance, and girls are now in their fifth year without the right to schooling beyond sixth grade. At the same time, the situation is receiving less and less attention in the Norwegian media. That makes free arenas for knowledge and debate more necessary than ever – and that is what Afghanistan Week has been since 2014.
The last Afghanistan Week, in 2024, drew more than a thousand participants. This year we are once again bringing together researchers, diplomats, journalists, activists, the Afghan diaspora, students and decision-makers. Together we will discuss, among other things, the lessons from Norway’s engagement in Afghanistan, the situation for women and girls, the humanitarian crisis and the geopolitical tensions in the region. The experience gained from forty years of Norwegian engagement is highly relevant now that the government, through Prosjekt Vendepunkt, is charting a new course for Norwegian foreign and development policy.
Everyone is welcome, and in addition to the seminars there will be dialogue and cultural features.
Afghanistan Week is organised by the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee, the Chr. Michelsen Institute and the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue, this year in cooperation with PRIO, NUPI, SIPRI, the Norwegian Human Rights Fund, and others.
READ MORE ABOUT AFGHANISTAN WEEK HERE
Programme and registration coming soon.
