Queen Victoria Voyage Focuses on Afghanistan During Maiden World Cruise
In early April, Ambassador Said T. Jawad held a series of lectures about Afghanistan on board the Queen Victoria, the “most famous ocean liner in the world.” Queen Victoria is the newest ship to join Cunard Cruises, with the most advanced technology and innovations of any ship on the sea. Cunard has been sailing since 1840, and invited Ambassador Jawad on board for the second year in a row to help raise awareness about the situation in Afghanistan. The Ambassador gave the following detailed presentations to a large group of well informed world travellers (click on titles to see the entire power point presentaion):
Global Security: Afghanistan at a Crossroad of Civilization and Invasions
Why was life in the United States and Europe so directly affected by events in Afghanistan, a country no larger than the state of Texas? How is global security tied to Afghanistan’s continued stability? What does the future hold for Afghanistan? This presentation uses security as a lens to examine Afghanistan’s rich past, challenging present and fragile future.
Afghan women: Life under a “Thousand Splendid Suns”
Did you know that 27% of Afghanistan’s parliament is female? Did you know that before the Soviet invasion in 1979, Afghan women used to be teachers, doctors and civil servants, or that they used to join men on Kabul’s dance floors and ski slopes? Millions of people across the world have been captivated by the story of Mariam and Laila, the vividly imagined protagonists of Khaled Hosseini’s “A Thousand Splendid Sun.” This presentation takes a deeper look at the history of women’s rights in Afghanistan, the fate of Afghan women under the Taliban, and prospects for women’s empowerment in contemporary Afghanistan.
State Building 2.0 (Uncoordinated Version): Post Conflict Management
35 countries came together to help Afghans build a viable state out of the ashes of 30 years of conflict and hardship. After the tragedy, what were the challenges of writing a constitution, holding free and fair Presidential and Parliamentary elections, training the national police and army, and bringing the judicial system into the 21st century? What monumental tasks faced Afghanistan’s modern day founders and how does post-conflict management differ from normal governance?
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