A scientific and research seminar on the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage was inaugurated by the Ministry of Information and Culture in the presence of officials of the Islamic Emirate and ambassadors from several countries.
Officials of the ministry say such seminars are effective in protecting cultural artifacts and stress that safeguarding cultural heritage is a shared responsibility of both the people and the government.
According to them, decades of war have caused serious damage to cultural heritage, but since the establishment of the Islamic Emirate, special attention has been given to its protection.
The Deputy Minister for Culture and Arts at the Ministry of Information and Culture, Atiqullah Azizi, said:
“Just as other sectors of this country suffered damage, cultural artifacts, historical sites, and historical heritage were also severely affected. With the arrival of the Islamic Emirate, just as attention was paid to other sectors—such as security, the economy, stability, and strengthening relations with the world—many positive steps have also been taken in the cultural sector.”
The deputy minister also noted that over the past twenty years, sufficient work was not done to protect historical buildings, but added that over the past four years, a specific budget has been allocated for their preservation.
Officials have called on the international community to increase cooperation with Afghanistan in protecting historical and cultural heritage, keeping such efforts separate from political issues.
Atiqullah Azizi further stated:
“We call on the international community to cooperate with us in this area and to work jointly with us beyond political sensitivities and issues. There should be no excuses, delays, or procrastination in this matter.”
During the seminar, some participants presented academic papers aimed at preserving cultural heritage, in order to introduce Afghanistan’s cultural artifacts to other countries and attract their cooperation in safeguarding them.
