Coalition forces, Afghans celebrate Mother’s Day in Ghazni

GHAZNI PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

06.15.2011

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force 1 - Afghanistan

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Residents of Ghazni province celebrated Afghan Mother's Day with a festival June 15.

To help the women celebrate, coalition forces coordinated the event and donated almost 300 pairs of women’s shoes.

The ceremony, organized by the Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team, took place in the Department of Information and Culture’s compound in Ghazni City.

Hamid Guristani, a Ghazni Provincial Council representative, and Shukria Wall, the head of the Department of Women’s Affairs, also helped prepare the feast.

The celebration, in accordance with Afghan tradition, began with a verse from the Quran. Then, children recited poetry, sang songs and performed short plays in which the kids danced for their mothers and gave them flowers.

In between children's performances organizers and guests gave speeches. Nawroz Hamidullah, the head of the Provincial Council, said it is important for both genders to be treated equally and to have equal rights and opportunities.

During the ceremony, representatives from Poland and the United States explained how Mother's Day is celebrated in their countries..

"In this day our mums receive a lot of flowers and gifts, however they are particularly happy if they are given cards personally prepared by their children," said Agnieszka Hejduk, an adviser for education in the Polish District Development Group.

At the end of the ceremony, PRT representatives presented the women gifts including food products, small portable radios, and shoes. In return, the Afghan women presented coalition forces women with traditional Afghan scarves.

During the meeting, a visible social contrast among the women present existed.

Blue burkas covered some women entirely, while others dressed in European attire. The second group was made up of university students from Kabul.

Andżilo, an 18-year-old student attending her first year of law school in Kabul, is from Qara Bagh District and works part time in an office.

"Thanks to studying and working, I am independent," said Andżilo. "I do not want my life [to look] like other local women’s lives who got married at age 15 and then just bring up children.”

“They don’t know how the life can be different," added Meto, an art history student who is planning to take courses for a law degree.

Polish soldiers from the 11th Armored Cavalry Division provided security for the event.

• Date Taken: 06.15.2011
• Date Posted: 06.20.2011 17:46
• Story ID: 72443
• Location: GHAZNI PROVINCE, AF