Afghanistan Week 2026
Beyond the Stalemate – Exploring Options
Five years after the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan is governed through an increasingly consolidated system of totalitarian control under the Islamic Emirate. While there is heightened tension with Pakistan, and no signs of further international recognition, most other regional actors are engaging pragmatically with the Taliban. Amongst Western governments the overall trends are towards increasing de-facto normalisation, driven in parts by migration control. Whereas some call for a more principled approach, others suggest that isolation has done little to change the Taliban’s policies on education and other fundamental human rights. Humanitarian needs remain immense – exacerbated by natural disasters and the impact of climate change. And, at the same time as international funding is shrinking, millions of Afghans forcibly returned from neighbouring countries, placing additional pressure on already strained communities and public services.
Against this backdrop, a young generation – that constitute a majority of the Afghan population – faces unprecedented restrictions, limited opportunities, and increasing uncertainty about the future. Together, these developments do not only raise fundamental questions about Afghanistan’s trajectory, but also the effectiveness and sustainability of current approaches to development and in securing an increased respect for humanitarian dignity and rights.
Afghanistan is approaching a turning point, one that demands fresh analysis, honest reflections, and renewed discussions and dialogue. At the heart of Afghanistan Week 2026 lies a simple but urgent question: If current approaches are not delivering the desired outcomes, what should we do differently?
By bringing together different perspectives and encouraging open and critical discussion, the Afghanistan Week seeks not only to understand the current situation but also to contribute to a more informed and forward-looking conversation around Afghanistan’s future.
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Seminar overview
26 October
From armed conflict to climate risk
11:30-1:00 PM
Contributing partner: Nowegian Institute of International Affairs (Nupi)
Place: Nupi, Rosenkrantz’ gate 22, Oslo
Lunch will be served from 11:30 and the programme will start at 11:45
Afghanistan is the world’s sixth most climate-vulnerable country and among the least equipped to respond, yet it stands outside international climate finance and normal diplomatic relations. Five years after the Taliban took power, large-scale armed conflict has ended. The pressures on stability now run through water, land and livelihoods. Development assistance, including over USD 800 million in climate financing, was suspended in 2021. Yet engagement has widened. Where does that leave technical cooperation on climate adaptation? Meanwhile, recommendations to the UN and donors wait on political decisions no one is close to taking.
This seminar asks what can be done in the meantime, and which structures on the ground can carry the work.
Panel
- Moderator: Cedric de Coning, Research Professor and co-director of the Climate, Peace and Security Risk project, NUPI
- Bjørn Staurset Jahnsen, Norway’s Special Representative to Afghanistan
- Charity Watson, Climate, Peace and Security Advisor, UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
- Ibraheem Bahiss, Senior Analyst Asia Program, International Crisis Group
- Karim Merchant, expert on climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and natural resource management in Afghanistan and fragile states
- Katongo Seyuba, Researcher, Sipri
The Myth of Neutrality: Afghanistan’s Cultural Industries Under Occupation
5:00-6:00 PM
Place: Vega Scene, Hausmanns gate 28, Oslo
For over two decades, the main discourse around the Western intervention in Afghanistan has been articulated around ideas of modernisation, progress, emancipation and democracy, with youth and women as the main recipients and beneficiaries of such an endeavour. From the very early stages of the American-led occupation, this narrative lens became the justification that tightly linked the civilian presence to the military agenda thus tarnishing any pretence of neutrality of aid and development initiatives. The space of contemporary cultural production and consumption became one of the primary channels to convey the occupying forces’ political agenda through music, film, visual arts and photography. This contested arena proved to be as divisive as it was transformative.
Panel
- Moderator: Terje Watterdal, Country Director, Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC)
- Amanullah Mojadidi, Conceptual artist, writer and researcher
- Aziz Hazara, Interdisciplinary artist
25 years in Afghanistan
6:30-8:30 PM
Contributing partners: The Oslo Documentary Cinema, Vega Scene
Place: Vega Scene, Kino TRE, Hausmanns gate 28, Oslo
Freshta Safi holder en kort innledning før filmen.
The film 25 Years in Afghanistan follows Mir from the age of eight to adulthood as a family man, from 2002 to 2026. It is an updated version of the film My Childhood, My Country – 20 Years in Afghanistan, which won a BAFTA in addition to a long list of other awards around the world. This newly released version covers the lives of Mir and his family after the Taliban takeover in 2021. The two filmmakers began filming Mir when, as an eight-year-old, he was playing in the ruins of the destroyed Buddha statues in the Bamiyan Valley, where his family lived as refugees in a cave. Later, the filmmakers followed him as a teenager who often missed school because he had to help provide food so that the family could survive. In his twenties, Mir gets married, has children, and moves to Kabul, where he learns the trade of camera operator for news channels. He helps cover the Taliban’s advance and subsequent takeover of Kabul in 2021. This becomes a new turning point in the family’s lives and the start of a more difficult period. Throughout the story, the Western intervention in Afghanistan, along with the shifting priorities and changes in how the war was fought, forms the backdrop to the family’s lives over the 25 years.
Filmed & directed by Phil Grabsky & Shoaib Sharifi, Storbritannia 2026, 99 min. Watch the trailer here.
The screening is sold out.
27 October
Afghanistan Today
8:30-10:00 AM
Place: Henry Dunant Hall, Hausmanns gate 5, Oslo
Afghanistan today receives comparatively scant attention in international media and research. Restrictions on media and on freedom of speech add to the difficulties faced by those outside (and inside) the country in keeping track of current developments. This panel will take a closer look at political, social, gender and economic dynamics of current-day Afghanistan, bringing together analysts, aid workers and journalists with recent experience in the country.
Panel
- Moderator: Torunn Wimpelmann, Research Director, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)
- Charity Watson, Climate, Peace and Security Advisor, UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
- Ibraheem Bahiss, Senior Analyst Asia Program, International Crisis Group
- Kawoon Khamoosh, Senior Broadcast Journalist, BBC World Service
China’s involvement and influence in Afghanistan
10:30-11:30 AM
Contributing partners: Chr. Michelsens Institute (CMI), Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
Place: Henry Dunant-salen, Hausmanns gate 5, Oslo
China’s relationship with Afghanistan is deeply embedded in the broader China-Pakistan-Afghanistan geopolitical landscape. While Afghanistan is far less important to China economically than Pakistan, it has significant strategic relevance due to its location, security implications, and potential role in regional connectivity. China has maintained diplomatic engagement with the Taliban since 2021 and, although limited, continued official and private investments in mining, energy and infrastructure. Terrorist attacks and the low intensity war between Pakistan and Afghanistan challenges Chinese investments, influence and non-interference policy in what has become a highly volatile region.
Panel
- Moderator: Kaja Borchgrevink, Senior Researcher, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
- Arne Strand, Senior Researcher, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)
- Katja Mielke, Senior Researcher, Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies
- Mirwais Wardak, Researcher, Peace Training and Research Organisation
Understanding Taliban Rule
12:00-1:30 PM
Contributing partner: Chr. Michelsens Institute (CMI)
Place: Henry Dunant-salen, Hausmanns gate 5, Oslo
Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has held power since September 2021 when an interim government was established in Kabul with military commanders in key positions. Except for closure of the Ministry of Women Affairs the ministry structure and functions remain in place, including some former administrative staff. The IEA have gradually assumed control over Afghan embassies and representations, though some remain with Islamic Republic appointed staff – as to the United Nations. The IEA differ from most other states with its absence of an elected or appointed national assembly or Loya Jirga and a ratified Constitution. Except for Russia no other states have recognised the IEA due to their repressive gender practices, continued hosting of terror groups and for lack of a more representative government. There is, however, an acknowledgement of IEA’s full control over Afghan territory and most regional countries have maintained diplomatic representation in Kabul.
The questions we ask in this session are: How did the Taliban transform from a decentralised resistance movement to a highly centralised theocracy, and how is power and influence balanced within the IEA and between cities and the countryside? To what extent can international actors influence IEA policies and how it is possible to ascertain if conditionality and sanctions, or rather diplomacy and dialogue might have larger impact?
Panel
- Moderator: Arne Strand, Senior Researcher, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)
- Ibraheem Bahiss, Senior Analyst Asia Program, International Crisis Group
- Kawoon Khamoosh, Senior Broadcast Journalist, BBC World Service
- Terje Magnussønn Watterdal, Country Director, Afghanistankomiteen (NAC)
Mobilisation and Women’s Access to Justice in Afghanistan
2:00-3:30 PM
Contributing partners: Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF), Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI)
Place: Henry Dunant-salen, Hausmanns gate 5, Oslo
Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s most severe human rights crises. Since the Taliban’s return to power five years ago, women and girls have faced unprecedented restrictions on their access to justice, legal representation, education, employment, and public life. At the same time, Afghan women and men, both inside and outside the country, have continued to document violations, advocate for women’s rights, and seek pathways to justice and accountability. This panel brings together leading human rights defenders and experts to explore what access to justice means in Afghanistan today. The discussion will connect developments inside Afghanistan with international accountability efforts, while placing the experiences, leadership, and resilience of Afghan women at its centre. By highlighting both the current challenges and ongoing initiatives, the panel aims to deepen understanding of how justice and accountability can be pursued under extraordinarily critical circumstances and critically examine how different actors can support these efforts.
Panel
- Moderator: Hasina Shirzad, Programme Adviser, Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF)
- Video message: Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan
- Huma Saeed, Senior Fellow, CUNY Law School and MADRE
- Sayed Hussain Anosh, Executive Lead, HRD+
Beyond the Stalemate: Official Opening of Afghanistan Week 2026
6:00-7:30 PM
Place: Henry Dunant Hall, Hausmanns gate 5, Oslo
Five years after the Taliban’s return to power, contact with the Islamic Emirate is becoming normalised even though formal recognition is still mostly withheld. Regional actors engage pragmatically, and among Western governments there is a trend towards de facto normalisation, driven partly by migration control. The restrictions on women and girls have meanwhile been tightened: girls are barred from secondary school and university, and women are shut out of most work and much of public life. Humanitarian needs are growing, funding is shrinking, and millions of Afghans forced back from Iran and Pakistan are straining communities further.
Afghanistan Week 2026 opens with the question that runs through the whole programme: If current approaches are not delivering, what should we do differently?
Opening speech from Liv Kjølseth, Secretary General, Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC).
Briefing from Kabul
Opening statement on behalf of United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) by Charity Watson, Climate, Peace and Security Advisor.
High-level panel: Dialogue or distance?
Norway has kept a channel of dialogue open, in line with its long-standing principle of talking to all parties in a conflict. Ireland, which holds the EU Presidency this autumn, has warned against contact that normalises the regime and put its weight behind international accountability. Can dialogue and pressure work side by side, how should European governments coordinate when they disagree, and what would a more effective approach look like?
Panel:
- Moderator: Nasrin Naimy, Senior Political Advisor, The Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC)
- Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, State Secretary, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Claire Buckley, Ambassador of Ireland to Norway
Afghan perspectives: Beyond dialogue or distance
The international debate is locked in a choice between dialogue and distance. In this all-Afghan panel, Fereshta Abbasi, Orzala Nemat and Zuhra Bahman will take stock of where Afghanistan stands. How do Afghans see dialogue and pressure, and what has each meant in practice? The panel then turns to how to move forward. What new thinking is emerging among Afghans, and are there approaches that go beyond the dialogue-or-distance track? Finally, they will say what they want the politicians in the room to do differently, and how the international community can best contribute.
Panel
- Moderator: Arne Strand, Senior Researcher, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)
- Fereshta Abbasi, Researcher in the Asia division, Human Rights Watch
- Orzala Nemat, Afghan scholar and civil society activist
- Zuhra Bahman, Country Director, Search for Common Ground Afghanistan
Cultural segment
Poetry reading by Khaleda Froagh
28 October
Building Horizons for Afghanistan – A future beyond sanctions and isolation
8:30-10:00 AM
Contributing partner: CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
Place: Kulturhuset, Youngs gate 6, Oslo
Afghanistan has one of the youngest populations in the world. Whether young people find work and a stake in their society will shape the country’s stability for decades – and, as in many countries with a growing youth cohort, the alternative is migration, marginalisation and vulnerability to radicalisation. Job creation is not only a development issue but a peace and security issue. Beneath the headlines, young Afghan entrepreneurs are creating jobs and livelihoods – in microbusinesses, start-ups and youth-led initiatives across the country. Many of them do so with skills and networks gained abroad, as millions of Afghans have returned in recent years. But they operate under limits they cannot change on their own: sanctions and banking restrictions that cut them off from payments and trade finance, an almost complete absence of investment capital, and an international community that has largely withdrawn since 2021. This session gives young Afghan business owners the floor first. They will describe the current moment as they see it – what is possible, what is not, and what kind of support actually makes a real difference. International stakeholders then respond: what can donors, development banks and the private sector realistically do within today’s constraints, and where do the constraints themselves need to change? The discussion also speaks to a Norwegian debate. Prosjekt Vendepunkt, the government’s review of Norwegian development policy, has put job creation forward as a priority for Norwegian aid. Afghanistan is a test of what this means. Is it possible to invest in youth and the private sector in Afghanistan?
Panel
- Moderator: Alex Virtanen, Head of Asia section, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
- Erik Abild, Director of humanitarian assistance and comprehensive response, The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad)
- Female and male Afghan entrepreneurs (will participate online)
- Iiris Niemelä, YPS Focal Point, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
- Roger Peltzer, Chairman of the Board, Trustees of the Afghanistan Credit Fund Foundation (ACGF)
Keeping higher education alive in Afghanistan
10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Contributing partner: The Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund (SAIH)
Place: Kulturhuset, Youngs gate 6, Oslo
For almost five years, girls and women in Afghanistan have been denied access to education beyond primary school. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls and women are formally excluded from secondary and higher education. More than 2.4 million girls are currently unable to attend secondary school, while women have been barred from universities since 2022. Today’s crisis is deep, rooted in a political battleground over modern education and shaped by struggles over curriculum, tradition, ideology and religion. But education has not stopped. Across Afghanistan and beyond its borders, students, educators and organizations are developing alternative ways for women and girls to continue learning, from community-based and home-based education to online learning, non-formal education and opportunities to study abroad. This seminar will explore the current status of education in Afghanistan and what can be done differently moving forward. How are alternative pathways keeping learning alive? What does quality and relevant education look like in the current context? And what can donors, policymakers and education actors do to support these efforts?
The program opens with a student perspective from Nasiba Salehin on why education form women matter, followed by Mustafa Himmati (NAC) on (de)colonistaion of education in Afghanistan, before Torunn Wimpelmann (CMI and SAIH) presents new research on education pathways for Afghan women. The program culminates in a panel discussion on keeping higher education alive in Afghanistan.
Panel
- Lauryn Oates, Executive Director, Right to Learn Afghanistan
- Terje Magnussønn Watterdal, Country Director, Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC)
- Torunn Wimpelmann, Research Director, Chr. Michelsen Institute
- Yahia Baiza, Senior Research Associate, The Institute of Ismaili Studies
The event will conclude with a poetry performance by Eman Ghazniwal, a poet, student activist and former teacher from Kabul.
RegisterRemittances to Afghanistan: A dialogue about motivation, expectations and contributions
5:00-7:00 PM
Contributing partner: Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue
Place: Kulturhuset, Youngs gate 6, Oslo
Afghanistan is the country that receives the largest amount of money through remittances from Norway. In 2025, NOK 414 million was transferred from private individuals in Norway to private individuals in Afghanistan. These contributions to relatives and friends exceed development aid and are of great importance to those who receive them in a country facing multiple crises. We invite you to a dialogue from stage with Afghans living in Norway, who will share what motivates them to send money, the expectations they encounter, what the money contributes to, and how sending money affects their lives in Norway. The audience will be invited to join the dialogue and share their own reflections and experiences. This dialogue session will be held in Norwegian and is organized by Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue.
There will be an introduction before the dialogue by Arne Strand (CMI).
Stage Dialogue:
- Hamideh Moradi
- Moshtaq Ramazan
- Nilofar Anwar
Dialogue fasilitators:
- Norunn Grande, Special Advisor, Nansen Fredssenter
- Farzana Kochai, Development and humanitarian professional
Perspective Quiz
19:00
Samarbeidspartner: Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Panorama Nyheter
Sted: Kulturhuset, Youngs gate 6, Oslo
Calling all quiz-lovers! This time, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC Flyktninghjelpen) and Panorama Nyheter are co-hosting the Perspective Quiz with the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC). If you’re a student, NGO worker, journalist, fact freak, know-it-all or anyone else who’s interested in Afghanistan, come join us!
Bring friends and colleagues and come as a team – or come as you are, and we will find a team for you. PS: One point per person will be deducted for quiz teams with more than five participants.
Hosts:
- Agathe Hugel
- Nilofar Nori
29 October
Despite Restrictions: How Afghan Women Sustain, Resist and Build Peace in Afghanistan
8:30-10:00 AM
Contributing partner: The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad)
Place: Norad, Bygdøy allé 2, Oslo
Registration and ID check from 08:00 AM
Five years of Taliban rule have reshaped governance, law enforcement and social life in Afghanistan. The country faces economic collapse, natural disasters, persistent security threats and growing humanitarian needs, while funding cuts, including to women’s rights and women-led organizations, deepen the crisis. Women bear the heaviest burden. Sweeping restrictions on their movement, dress, work, education and public participation have left them systematically excluded, and Afghanistan still ranks last of 181 countries on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Index. Pushed out of the aid sector, limited to working from home and unable to meet international actors safely, women see their own lives, and the future of Afghan communities, put at risk. Yet Afghan women continue to resist, organize and work across sectors. Their paid and unpaid care labour is essential to the survival of their communities.
This event asks: What does women’s participation in peace and security efforts look like in today’s Afghanistan from women’s own perspectives? Do current international aid approaches empower women under the restrictions, or do they cement their existing status?
Panel
- Moderator: Norunn Grande, Special Advisor, Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue
- Eman Ghazniwal, Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom – Afghanistan section (WILPF), student activist and poet
- Torunn Wimpelmann, Research Director, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)
- Zuhra Bahman, Country Director, Search for Common Ground Afghanistan
As panellists for the various seminars are confirmed, their bios will be added to this page.
Alex Virtanen joined CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation as its Asia Head in 2024. 2013-2024 he was based in the Asia region and held various leadership roles, including Country Director for Geneva Call in the Philippines, Thailand, and Afghanistan, as well as Programme Manager and Head of Field Office for Nonviolent Peaceforce, where he focused on supporting the peace process in Mindanao, Philippines. Alex holds an MSc in Political Science, with a focus on conflict resolution and governance, from the University of Amsterdam.
Amanullah Mojadidi is a conceptual artist, writer, and researcher. He has exhibited internationally including at the LindenMuseum-Stuttgart, Imperial War Museum-London, Times Square-NYC, 3rd Dhaka Art Summit, 12th Havana Biennale, 3rd Asia Triennial Manchester, 1st Kochi/Muziris Biennale, and dOCUMENTA (13). His publications include The Exhibition in The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Art in Global Asia (2023), The Art of Conflict Chic: Imagined Geographies & the Search for a Post-Orientalist Identity in Conflict & Compassion: A Paradox of Difference in Contemporary Asian Art (2016), Home and What Can One Say About Living in Kabul? in One Story, Thirty Stories: An Anthology of Contemporary Afghan-American Literature (2010), and Humanitarians with Guns: Globalized Rights, Cultural Space, & Militarized Aid in Afghanistan in Challenges and Paths to Global Justice (2007). In 2012, he was selected as a TED Fellow for the subversively critical nature of his artistic practice while living in Kabul and is currently pursuing a PhD in Anthropology exploring how Afghan contemporary artistic practice is inextricably tied to experiences with invasion, occupation, and NGOisation.
Arne Strand has a PhD in Post-war Recovery Studies where he studied coordination of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies. His research focuses on aid coordination, forced migration and reintegration, peace-building and security sector reform and humanitarian and development assistance. Strand has been team leader of several evaluations and research programmes in and on Afghanistan. He has extensive management experience from NGOs and research institutes, and has also been involved in developing management and professional capacities of Afghan NGOs and peacebuilding organisations.
Aziz Hazara lives and works in Berlin. Hazara is an interdisciplinary artist working across various mediums, including photography, video, sound, and multimedia installations. His work explores themes of surveillance, material culture, and supply chains within the context of power relations, geopolitics, and the panopticon. His work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions, including To Carry at the 16th Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah, UAE (2025); the 18th Biennale de l’Image en Mouvement: A Cosmic Movie Camera at the Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva (2024); Is It Morning for You Yet? at the 58th Carnegie International, Pittsburgh (2022); Penumbra, Venice (2022); the Busan Biennale (2020); and NIRIN at the 22nd Biennale of Sydney (2020). His works are held in the public collections of institutions such as Tate Modern, London; SMAK, Ghent; Guggenheim Abu Dhabi; KNMA, New Delhi; the Sharjah Art Foundation; and the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh.
Cedric de Coning is a Research Professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI). His research focuses on how the United Nations and other multilateral institutions can more effectively sustain international peace and security. A former South African diplomat and UN peacekeeper, he has served in various advisory roles with the African Union and the United Nations, including on the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board for the UN Peacebuilding Fund.
Ms. Charity Watson is the Climate, Peace and Security Advisor for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. She has worked in Afghanistan for over ten years across politico-security, humanitarian, and environmental issues and before that in East Africa and the Middle East. Her current work focuses on the intersection between climate change, peace and security, fostering dialogue and engagement with Afghan stakeholders on climate and water issues, including the Taliban de facto authorities, supporting regional transboundary water cooperation, and addressing climate security risks and peacebuilding opportunities within Afghanistan. Ms. Watson graduated summa cum laude in International Affairs from the University of Colorado and has a Master’s in Environmental Governance and Policymaking from the Graduate Institute in Geneva.
Claire Buckley is the Ambassador of Ireland to Norway as well as to Iceland on a non-resident basis. She has served as ambassador since 2023. She was previously the Irish ambassador to Sierra Leone and to Liberia, and Guinea. She has held several prominent roles within the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin, including Personnel Officer, Deputy Director of the Irish Abroad Unit, and Assistant Chief of Protocol. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Studies from Technological University Dublin.
Eman Ghazniwal is a member of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Afghanistan section. She is in her final year of the Honours Programme at the University of Oslo, where she studies political science and AI. She is also a poet and one of four hosts of the podcast S’ada: Stories from Afghanistan, which is produced by the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT). Before moving to Norway five years ago, Eman worked as a teacher in Afghanistan.
Erik Abild is Director of humanitarian assistance and comprehensive response in Norad – The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. Abild has a background from leadership positions in the Red Cross, the Norwegian Refugee Council as well as being the Norwegian Aid Committee’s representative in Gaza for two years. He has also worked as the private secretary for H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. He holds a Master’s Degree in Forced Migration from the University of Oxford and has published on topics of humanitarian access, innovation and the politics of aid.
Farzana Kochai is a development and humanitarian professional with over 8 years of experience in policy, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement — and a former member of Afghanistan’s National Assembly (Wolesi Jirga), where she was elected at age 26 as one of the youngest parliamentarians at the time. In parliament, she led gender-responsive legislative reform, chaired oversight committees, and mobilised resources for women-led and minority initiatives. She represented the Kochi people — a nomadic minority often excluded from formal politics — and fought to ensure their voices shaped national policy. Since relocating to Norway in 2021, she has completed a Master’s in Global Development Studies at NMBU (2025), interned with the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Global Corporate Relations team, volunteered on humanitarian and developmental issues with local organisations, and continued her advocacy for Afghan women and girls through international media and civil society platforms.
Fereshta Abbasi is a Researcher in the Asia division at Human Rights Watch, focusing on research and documentation of ongoing abuses in Afghanistan. For the past 10 years she has documented human rights abuses in Afghanistan with different organizations, including Human Rights Watch and the All-Survivors Project. She was previously a legal advisor for the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), where she trained and developed employees’ legal skills within the Afghan justice sector. She holds an LLM in International law and Strategic Studies from University of Aberdeen and was a Chevening Scholar in 2019-2020. Fereshta has also published on human rights issues in the Afghan media.
Freshta Safi is an Afghan artist working in the fields of graphic design, visual arts, animation, and illustration. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and a master’s degree in Visual Arts from Kabul University. Her artistic practice focuses on telling human stories, with particular emphasis on the experiences and circumstances of women in Afghanistan. Throughout her professional career, Freshta worked as an animator at the French Institute in Afghanistan and as a photojournalist at the Ministry of Urban Development and Land. During this period, she created several animated films and developed illustrations addressing the situation of women in Afghanistan. Her work reflects women’s social experiences, the restrictions they face, and their efforts to preserve their voices and identities through art. When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, Freshta, like millions of other Afghan women, was prevented from continuing her professional and artistic activities and was forced to remain at home. This situation profoundly affected her life and artistic journey. After being accepted into the ICORN programme (International Cities of Refuge Network), she moved to Norway, where she found the opportunity to resume her artistic practice.
Hasina Shirzad is an Afghan journalist, researcher and human rights advocate based in Norway. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism from Oslo Metropolitan University and has a background in journalism, research and civil society engagement. Her interests include human rights, freedom of expression, women’s rights and the protection of human rights defenders. She has written and contributed to discussions on human rights and media freedom and has experience moderating public discussions and events.
Dr. Huma Saeed is a criminologist specializing in transitional justice, gender justice, and post-conflict accountability. She is a Senior Transitional Justice Fellow at the City University of New York and an adjunct professor at the University of Bologna. She also serves as country advisor for MADRE, an international human rights organization.With over 25 years of experience in human rights and transitional justice, she has served as an expert and consultant for the United Nations, the European Union, and other international organizations, contributing to policy and expert forums on justice in post-conflict settings. She holds a PhD in criminology from KU Leuven, an MA in human rights from the London School of Economics, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her research and publications focus on transitional justice, economic and state crime, gender justice, and victims’ empowerment. She is a Roster Expert with Justice Rapid Response.
Ibraheem Bahiss is based in Kabul and draws on over 12 years’ experience studying Afghanistan. He currently works as a Senior Analyst on Afghanistan for the International Crisis Group (ICG), an international organisation providing analysis and advice on preventing, managing and mitigating conflicts across the globe. Since 2013, he has spent extensive time in Afghanistan and since April 2022, he has led ICG’s country office managing its local researchers. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science), a Bachelor of Laws, and a Master of Laws, from the University of Waikato, New Zealand.
Iiris Niemelä joined CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation in 2022, where she has held both programmatic and institutional positions. In her current role, Ms. Niemelä contributes to CMI’s engagement in Afghanistan and Central Asia with a focus on Afghanistan and the Youth Peace and Security (YPS) agenda. As CMI’s Asia team YPS Focal Point, her interest and expertise lie in strengthening meaningful youth participation and enhancing agency in decision making processes. Prior to joining CMI, Iiris Niemelä gained experience in both public and private sectors, notably at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, in Helsinki and at the Embassy of Finland in Cyprus. She is also engaged in Finnish and international youth organizations. She has hands on experience of contributing to interfaith dialogue and initiatives bringing young people from diverse backgrounds together. Both her professional and voluntary experiences have strengthened her commitment to inclusive peacebuilding and to creating opportunities for youth to shape the decisions and processes that affect their lives and communities. Iiris Niemelä holds a master’s degree in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research from Tampere University. Her working languages are Finnish, English and Spanish.
Kaja Borchgrevink is a Senior Researcher at PRIO and she takes an interest in religion and development, the politics of aid, and everyday religion among Muslims in Norway – often with a focus on gender and transnational perspectives. Borchgrevink has a background from Development Studies and practical development work in South Asia, and she has studied religious education in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the transnational connections between religious seminaries (madrasas) in the two countries. Earlier research also includes studies of the relationship between civil society and peace building in Afghanistan with a focus on religious groups and networks.
Karim Merchant is a conflict-sensitive rural development and programme management specialist with 27 years’ experience across Afghanistan and Central Asia. Having worked directly for local and international NGOs, UN Agencies and bilateral institutions, he is now a freelance consultant. He currently works as a Programme Design Specialist on natural resource management, food security and developing climate-smart agriculture programming, and Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact assessment on multi-sectoral programming in a fragile context. He is also a Visiting Senior Lecturer on fragile and conflict-affected states at NORAGRIC/NMBU in Norway.
Katja Mielke is a political sociologist and Senior Researcher at Germany’s bicc – Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies where she is currently leading a project on Transregional Processes of (Dis)Entanglements in Afghanistan: Local Perspectives on the BRI. Her research examines the political at the intersection of conflict, migration, and development with a topical focus on state–society relations, local governance, frontier- and resource politics, and a regional focus on South, Central and West Asia. Between 2022 and 2025, she served as a permanent expert member of the German Bundestag’s Enquete Commission “Lessons from Afghanistan for Germany’s Future Networked Engagement.”
Kawoon Khamoosh is an Afghan journalist, documentary filmmaker, and producer who serves as a Senior Broadcast Journalist for the BBC World Service. Based primarily out of London, his work focuses heavily on conflict reporting, and deep-dive investigations into the evolving social and political landscape of Afghanistan.
Dr. Lauryn Oates is the Executive Director of Right to Learn Afghanistan, a Canadian organization committed to making the right to learn a reality for Afghan women and girls. She is also the Co-Chair of the Alliance for the Education of Women in Afghanistan, a global network of over 130 education providers working to advance sustainable systems of quality education. Lauryn has worked with development organizations, multilateral agencies, and governments around the world designing and implementing educational programs, strengthening education systems, shaping education policy, and advancing gender equality, particularly in countries affected by conflict. She is the recipient of several awards and distinctions, including the Queen Soroya Award from 8am Media. Lauryn holds a BA Honours in International Development from McGill University, an MA in Human Security and Peacebuilding from Royal Roads University, and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia.
Liv Kjølseth is a political scientist, with a postgraduate degree from the University of Oslo, with a specialisation in International Relations. For the past 20 years, she has held the position of Secretary General of the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC). Prior to joining NAC, she was Information and Advocacy Adviser for the Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurdish People. She has previously worked for the Norwegian Directorate for Immigration (UDI).
Mirwais Wardak is a development worker and researcher with almost 25 years of experience working with aid community in Afghanistan. He has worked on projects related to human security, community development, peacebuilding and conflict resolution and civil society development with a number of Afghan NGOs. He is currently working as a freelance consultant. He has received his MA from Post- War Recovery Unit, The University of York (2005).
Moshtaq Ramazan holds a master’s degree in Computer Applications from Hyderabad Central University in India. He came to Norway five years ago and has worked as a senior lecturer at the University of South-Eastern Norway, and as an IT and digitalisation expert at the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC). He finds the intersection between the digital and human interaction particularly interesting.
Mustafa Himmati is the Head of Knowledge Management at the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC), based in Oslo, with over a decade of experience in Afghanistan. His work at NAC has focused on project reviews, evaluations, and research across various sectors. Notably, in the education sector, he contributed to key review initiatives, including the Afghanistan Education Joint-Sector Reviews and the Vulnerability to Corruption Assessment of the Ministry of Education between 2016 and 2019. More recently, he contributed to the NAC’s Faryab School Study (2025), commissioned by the Norwegian Commission on Afghanistan, which assessed the status of schools in Faryab that were financed by Norwegian development assistance between 2006 and 2021. He holds postgraduate degrees on Education from University of Bristol, UK and Indonesia University of Education (UPI), Bandung, Indonesia.
Nasrin Naimy is a Senior Political Adviser at the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee, responsible for political advocacy and strategic communication directed at Norwegian authorities, the Storting and the media. She regularly takes part in the public debate on Norwegian Afghanistan policy. Nasrin is a political scientist with a bachelor’s degree from Oxford Brookes University and a master’s degree in democracy building from the University of Bergen. She has over ten years of experience in political advocacy and communication from civil society, the private sector and politics, including from Frivillighet Norge, Biogass Norge and Samfunnsbedriftene.
Nilofar Anwar works in one of Norway’s largest and highest-ranked employment law departments, where she advises large and medium-sized companies in both the private and public sectors on employment law matters. She has a particular interest in litigation and dispute resolution, within employment law as well as other areas of law. Nilofar wrote an extended master’s thesis on human rights at the Faculty of Law at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, supported by a master’s scholarship and admission to the faculty’s research track. Originally from Lakselv in Northern Norway, she is of Afghan descent and has a deep personal commitment to her homeland, which she fled in 2006.
Norunn Grande is a political scientist and special advisor at the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue. She develops training courses and materials, including handbooks and reports, facilitates dialogue, holds lectures and provides training in Norway and internationally. Norunn Grande has for many years provided trainings and professional support in dialogue and conflict transformation in Afghanistan. She has also worked with diaspora communities in Norway. Norunn Grande is a deputy member of the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee’s (NAC) board.
Orzala Nemat founded the Humanitarian Assistance for the Women and Children of Afghanistan (HAWCA) in 1999, advancing women’s rights, education and protection during conflict. In 2012, she established the Youth and Women Leadership Centre to strengthen youth and women’s leadership. From 2016 to 2022, she served as Director of the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU), strengthening its international standing as a leading independent research institution. Under her leadership, AREU ranked first in Afghanistan, third in Central Asia and 26th among independent think tanks globally. In 2023, she founded Development Research Group (DRG), a UK-based social enterprise think tank bridging academic research, policy and practice through research, evaluation, strategic advisory services and leadership development. Dr Nemat currently serves as Founder and Director of DRG, Research Associate with ODI’s Humanitarian Policy Group, and Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). She is also a trustee of Afghanaid and a Senior Evaluation Expert with Mokoro Consultancy, leading the evaluation of Concern’s Irish Civil Society Programme in Afghanistan. She has taught at SOAS, University of London. A Yale World Fellow and former Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, she champions Afghan women’s leadership and the influence of Global South knowledge in international development and humanitarian policy.
Roger Peltzer is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Afghanistan Credit Fund Foundation (ACGF), which provides guarantees to banks and microfinance organisations in Afghanistan that lend to SMEs and micro-enterprises. He also advises microfinance organisations in Africa. Since 2025, he has chaired the newly founded non-governmental organisation Pro Small Holder Farmers Africa e.V. (SFA), based in Kerpen, Germany. Among other things, SFA works closely with Sodecoton in Cameroon to develop joint projects supporting smallholder farmers. Through SFA, he is a member of the Dialogue and Impact for Sustainable Textiles (DST) alliance in Germany.
Sayed Hussain Anosh is an Afghan human rights defender and the Executive Lead and a founding member of HRD+, an Afghan-led network advocating for human rights, justice and accountability in Afghanistan. He has worked on human rights, civil society and protection of human rights defenders since 2012, including as Executive Director of the Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN). Anosh has extensive experience in human rights documentation, advocacy and engagement with the United Nations and international human rights mechanisms. He currently works from exile to amplify the voices of Afghan human rights defenders and communities inside Afghanistan.
Terje Magnussønn Watterdal is an economist, and an education and disability rights activist. He is currently based in Kabul as the Country Director for the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC). He has previously worked as education advisor for governments in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and senior expert for different UN agencies in Afghanistan and elsewhere in Asia. He holds postgraduate degrees from University of Mannheim, Germany and University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Torunn Wimpelmann is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) where she is currently researching the relationships between law, religion and Afghan gender politics and activism. She is the author of, The Pitfalls of Protection: Gender, Violence and Power in Afghanistan (University of California Press, 2017). Between 2014 and 2016 she served as an member of the government-appointed Commission of Inquiry into Norway’s engagement in Afghanistan. She is currently a member of the expert group to the inquiry on Denmarks engagement in Afghanistan.
Yahia Baiza (PhD, FHEA) is an award-winning author and writer in education, Islam, Central Asia and Afghanistan studies, Persian manuscripts, and diaspora communities in Europe. He is the recipient of two LOSD Excellence Awards 2026 in Education and Global Research (Saïd Business School, Oxford University, 2 May 2026), holder of the Guinness World Records Certificate (20 October 2026 at the UK House of Parliament), and a winner of OXSCIE 2018 ‘Best Essay Award’ at Oxford University, 19-20 June 2018, to name a few. Yahia is a Senior Research Associate at the Aga Khan Centre, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London, United Kingdom. He also serves as Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies Regional Editor for Afghanistan.
Zuhra Bahman is a feminist peacebuilder and a social entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience advancing peace, gender equality, and civil society in Afghanistan and internationally. She currently serves as Country Director for Search for Common Ground Afghanistan, where she leads one of the organisation’s largest country programmes, working with a nationwide network of civil society organisations and local partners to strengthen social cohesion, inclusive governance, and locally led peacebuilding. Throughout her career, Zuhra has held leadership and advisory roles with Search for Common Ground, UN Women, the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), the British Red Cross, ECPAT UK, the Government of Afghanistan, and numerous Afghan civil society organisations. Her work has focused on peace processes, women’s rights, conflict-sensitive programming, and strengthening civil society in some of the world’s most complex operating environments. She has also lectured at universities in Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, and Canada and has written independently on various aspects of peace building. Zuhra is the founder of She Makes Afghanistan, a social enterprise that connects Afghan women artisans and producers with international markets. Zuhra holds a BA in Anthropology and Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, an MA in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London, and an MRes in Anthropology from University College London.
Other participants
Only participants who have consented to being shared on this list are on it.
- Aciro Evalyne, Women of Destiny
- Agata Kazmierczak
- Aina Ferretti Sardà, SAIH
- Alberto Dal Poz, Norwegian Refugee Council
- Altina Fazlija, Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo
- Amin Senatorzade
- Anders Vinjar
- Anita Rapp, Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue
- Anne-Sofie Hertzberg
- Anniken Schwamborn, Postcode Lottery
- Antonio Pelegrina Jimenez, University of Bergen
- Arve Ofstad
- Assadullah Fareedzai
- Bente Knagenhjelp, MDG
- Bjørn-Richard Monsen, Save the Children Norway
- Britt Kejo
- Cajsa Wikström, Solidarity Committee for Afghanistan
- Camilla Madsen, DACAAR Denmark
- Cara Cruickshank, Voices Unveiled
- Carsten Carlsen, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Daniela Arocha, Norwegian Church Aid
- Elisabet Eikås, Save the Children Norway
- Elisabeth Leitner, World Vision
- Eman Ghazniwal
- Emilia Viganoni, Emergency ONG
- Enayatullah Azad, University of Oslo
- Erik Abild, Norad
- Fotis Bellon, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS)
- Freddie Neve, Lewis Advisors
- Gabriella Irsten, Solidarity Committee of Afghanistan
- Gry Synnevåg, Norwegian Afghanistan Committee
- Harris Mujtaba, Journalists for Human Rights
- Hassan Ahmed, Veterinarians Without Borders
- Hazelyn Abas Gaudiano
- Helena Barroco
- Henrik Stensby
- Humaira Daniel
- Ingeborg Moa, Norwegian Human Rights Fund
- Ingrid Louise Peck Nyborg, NMBU
- Ingunn Brandvoll, Norwegian Church Aid
- Ingvar Midthun, Norwegian Red Cross
- Jan-Petter Holtedahl, Norad
- Johan Eldebo, World Vision Nordic
- John Inge Løvdal, The Oslo Center
- Julie Caspersen, NUPI
- Kaja Boye Buxrud, Naturvernforbundet
- Kari Thorsen, Norad
- Kambaiz Rafi, Raoul Wallenberg Institute
- Kjell-Gunnar Eriksen
- Kristin Hetle, Oslo Kvinnesaksforening
- Kristin Seim Buflod
- Lars Andreas Lunde, Norad
- Lars-André Skari, House of Agile and Norwegian Afghanistan Committee
- Lauren Berntsen, SAIH
- Lina Elmawardy, AUF
- Linda Våge
- Maisam Shafiye, Norwegian Refugee Council
- Martina Manzari, the Oslo Center
- Mateusz Bartkowski, Nansenskolen
- Mi Christiansen, NOAS
- Mohammad Haroon Mutasem, Raoul Wallenberg Institute
- Muhammad Osman Popal, Futurę Afghan Leaders Organization
- Museera Moghis
- Nicole Sørlie Cottingham, World Vision
- Palwasha Kakar, Afghanistan Women Coordination Umbrella
- Ragnhild Olsby, Norwegian Human Rights Fund
- H.E. Rakhmatulla Nurimbetov, Uzbek Embassy to Sweden, Norway and Denmark
- Renata Ellingsen, Norwegian Church Aid
- Roya Heggstad
- Roya Salim
- Sadiqa Jalali, Dialogue Hub
- Sakina Safdari
- Sayed Nooroddin Alavi, Raoul Wallenberg Institute
- Sersabile Mdlovu, University of Oslo
- Sibylle Mani, OMCT
- Sidra Noor, NUST
- Stein Paul Rosenberg, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Sverre Hjelleset, Norwegian Afghanistan Committee
- Sylvi Bratten, FOKUS
- Tamana Ghani
- Tereza Adamcová, NMBU
- Vibeke Risa, Norwegian Refugee Council
-
Wahida Atmar, Danner Afghanistan Women Empowerment Organization (DAWEO)
- Zein Almoghraby, Journalists for Human Rights
- Zohra Waziri, Kiron Education
- Zulfia Abawe, Raoul Wallenberg Institute
- Øistein Tidemand-Johannesen, Norwegian Church Aid
- Åshild Skare, CARE
About Afghanistan Week
Afghanistan Week was first initiated in 2014, and is a bi-annual event where politicians, journalists, academics, and activists from Afghanistan, Norway, and beyond come together to address key issues facing the country. It aims to provide a safe space to share knowledge, experiences, hopes, and concerns. Debate, active listening, and asking questions are at the core of the concept. Most importantly, it aims to constitute a platform for voices from inside Afghanistan to be heard.
From the start in 2014 Afghanistan Week has been arranged jointly by the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC), the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO), the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) and the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue.
The 2024 Afghanistan Week took stock of the last three years, examining the evolution of Taliban rule, the international engagement with the regime, and the adaptation of Afghans to the new state of affairs: Consolidation or Muddling Through? What is the status of the Taliban’s ruling apparatus, what internal divisions exist, and how are those being managed? What are the costs and benefits of the various strategies of engagement or non engagement? What is driving the variety of positions taken by different actors, and what are the lessons learnt? What do strategies for change and survival look like inside the country?
Read the 2024 conference report here:
ReportAfghanistan Week 2026 will consist of at least 10 events during 26th-29th October.
Afghanistan Week hosts and organisers
Nowegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC)
Founded in 1980, NAC is a members-based solidarity organisation with activities in Norway and Afghanistan and an elected Board and Secretariat based in Norway. The purpose of the organisation is to work together with the Afghan people to contribute to the development of a peaceful Afghanistan where communities overcome poverty and aid dependency and where people live in an inclusive and equitable society; promote knowledge about Afghanistan in Norway; and promote friendship between the Norwegian and Afghan people.
Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)
CMI is an independent development research institute in Norway. With a staff of 100 people, they address issues that shape global developments and generate knowledge that can be used to fight poverty, advance human rights, and promote sustainable social development. Read more here.
Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue
Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue promotes peace, human rights, dialogue and reconciliation through trainings and workshops, presentations, and documentation. Their approach, methodologies and networks have been developed through practical dialogue and peace work in Norway and internationally. Read more here.
Afghanistan Week planning committee
The Afghanistan Week planning committee has the overall responsibility for the coherence of the program and its academic/professional content. The Afghanistan Week planning committee consist of:
Arne Strand has a PhD in Post-war Recovery Studies through which he studied coordination of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies. His research focuses on aid coordination, forced migration and reintegration, peace building and security sector reform and humanitarian and development assistance. Strand has been team leader of several evaluations and research programmes in and on Afghanistan. He has extensive management experience from NGOs and research institutes, and has also been involved in developing management and professional capacities of Afghan NGOs and peacebuilding organisations.
Liv Kjølseth is a Political Scientist, with a postgraduate degree from the University of Oslo, with a specialisation in International Relations. For the last decade she has held the position of Secretary General of the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC). Prior to joining NAC, she was Information and Advocacy Adviser for the Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurdish People. She has previously worked for the Norwegian Directorate for Immigration (UDI).
Norunn Grande is a special advisor at the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue (NCPD), developing and providing training courses in conflict transformation and dialogue facilitation. She is a political scientist, a mediator for the Norwegian Mediation and Reconciliation Service and a deputy member of the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee’s (NAC) board.
Torunn Wimpelmann is a Senior Researcher at Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) where she is currently the Co-director of the research project New Afghan Men, which explores the changing notions of marriage and masculinity in Afghanistan. She is the author of, The Pitfalls of Protection: Gender, Violence and Power in Afghanistan (University of California Press, 2017).
Contributing partners
From the start in 2014 Afghanistan Week has been arranged jointly by the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC), the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO), the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), and the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue.
Depending on the main topics for the week, organisations, institutions, and relevant actors are invited to co-share events.
The contributing partners for the 2026 Afghanistan Week is:
CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation is an independent non-profit Finnish organisation that works to prevent and resolve conflicts through dialogue and mediation. Founded by Nobel Peace Laureate and former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari in 2000, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation have since grown to be a leader in the field of international peacemaking. Read more here.
The Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF)
The Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF) works to protect and promote human rights internationally through direct support to organisations working in the first line of defence for human rights. The NHRF aims to be a flexible, courageous and global actor that provides direct support to local organisations working for the rights of vulnerable and marginalised individuals and groups. Read more here.
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad)
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) is an administrative and specialist body for development cooperation and supports the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and the Environment in achieving the goals of Norwegian development policy and promoting sustainable development. The UN’s sustainability goals, climate goals and human rights form the basis of Norad’s work. Read more here.
Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (Nupi)
The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) is an independent research institute studying global power relations, security policy, development issues, international economics and other matters of relevance to Norwegian foreign policy. NUPI’s mission is to build greater insight into international relations and affairs between peoples and nations. Read more here.
The Oslo Documentary Cinema
The Oslo Documentary Cinema was established in 2003 in response to the lack of access to Norwegian and international documentary films, and as a different kind of arena for debate. The Oslo Documentary Cinema organises screenings of current films and holds discussions in connection with the screenings, mainly at Cinemateket, Litteraturhuset and Cafeteatret. Read more here.
Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
Founded in 1959, the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) is an independent research institution known for its effective synergy of basic and policy-relevant research. In addition to such research, PRIO conducts graduate training and is engaged in the promotion of peace through conflict resolution, dialogue and reconciliation, public information and policymaking activities. Read more here.
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI)
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) is an independent academic institution established at Lund University in Sweden in 1984. They combine multi-disciplinary human rights research with education, support, and outreach to contribute to a wider understanding of, and respect for, human rights and international humanitarian law. Read more here.
The Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund (SAIH)
The Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund (SAIH) is a solidarity organization, by and for students and academics. SAIH have worked for over 60 years to promote higher education and academic freedom as a human right. Read more here.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. Established in 1966, SIPRI provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources. Read more here.
Vega Scene
Vega Scene is a quality cinema and a small local and national big-city theatre that showcases current films and new drama. Established in 2013, Vega Scene set out to develop an open and lively meeting place for quality film, new Nordic drama, and debate. It is a gathering point where audiences and industry professionals can share, discuss, and gain new knowledge about the world as seen through art. Read more here.
Practical information
Travel
Flight
The nearest airport is Oslo Airport Gardermoen (OSL), located just over 40 km north of Oslo. From here, trains run directly to Oslo S (Oslo Central Station):
- Airport Express Train – approx. 20 minutes, departures every 10–20 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at a vending machine, in the app, or on board.
- Vy regional train (line R11/R10) – approx. 25 minutes, cheaper than the Airport Express Train. Tickets can be purchased in the Vy app or at a vending machine before boarding.
Some airlines fly to Sandefjord Airport Torp, which is about 1 hr 45 min south of Oslo by train and bus. Check which airport your ticket is for.
Getting around Oslo
All the events are within walking distance of Oslo S, or just a few minutes away by metro, tram, or bus. If you’re using public transport, you can buy tickets in the Ruter app.
Venues / Event Locations
Where is it happening?
Afghanistanuka 2026 will be held at several venues in central Oslo. All the venues are centrally located and within short walking distance of each other.
| Venue | Address | Map |
|---|---|---|
| Henry Dunant Hall | Hausmanns gate 5, Oslo | Open in Google Maps |
| Kulturhuset | Youngs gate 6, Oslo | Open in Google Maps |
| Nupi | Rosenkrantz’ gate 22, Oslo | Open in Google Maps |
| Norad | Bygdøy allé 2, Oslo | Open in Google Maps |
The full program with time and location for each individual event will be published well in advance of the start of Afghanistanuka.
Accommodation
We don’t have a dedicated hotel agreement, but here are some options that are centrally located and close to the event venues.
- Thon Hotel Europa – St. Olavs Gate 31, right by Slottsparken (the Palace Park).
- Comfort Xpress Central Station – simple and affordable standard.
- Scandic Karl Johan – in the heart of downtown, a short walk to all event venues.
Prices in Oslo vary a lot throughout the year, so we recommend booking early.
Contact
Afghanistan Week event manager and contact focal point
Erika Amlie Amundsen
erika.amundsen@nacaf.org
+47 909 14 069
Media contact
Nasrin Naimy
nasrin.naimy@nacaf.org
+47 484 68 313
Stay updated
We’ll be sending out practical information about the program, registration, and events ahead of Afghanistanuka 2026. Leave your email address and we’ll keep you informed.
We only send information about Afghanistanuka. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Do you cover travel or accommodation costs for participants?
We only cover costs for speakers/panelists taking part in the panels. If you are attending as a general participant and are not part of a panel, you will need to cover your own travel and accommodation costs.
Can I/my organisation participate in a panel?
We reach out directly to those who are relevant for our panels.
