Afghanistan, a region that is diversified due to the continuous wars over the centuries. A region that has been rich in arts, crafts, culture and traditions. The region where you can find the arts, crafts, culture and tradition of Baloch from the south-eastern part of the region, Pashtuns from the central, southern and eastern part of the region, Tajiks from the central and western part of the region and other tribes such as Turkmens, Uzbeks, Hazaras, Turks and many other tribes. Afghanistan was and is a central hub of trade routes between the Middle east, central Asia, eastern Asia and south Asia. The country where multiple languages are spoken and has a huge tolerance for all the cultures. The majority of Afghan people lives with similar day-to-day routines, they follow the same Islamic traditions yet have tolerance for people having different religious beliefs, they wear similar clothing’s yet are impressed by new styles, they eat similar food yet enjoy whatever they have been offered, they also celebrate the same holidays, traditions and other cultural events.

In the early 10th century the region was a vital location for the trade, A trade route called “Silk Road'' which lengthened from China to Europe was a main trade route at time for transporting goods (Silk in particular), during this time in the southern parts of the country there were already a rise in population as most of the Pashtun tribes were residing their and most of the time they used to use the same route (Silk road) for their trade and other times they would use alternatives routes through Kandahar and Peshawar into India when trading with south Asian countries. Most of the overseas traders that were Nomads coming through silk road and the alternative routes to the region decided to stay in the region as they were looking for fertile lands and fresh, clean water which the country is offering for centuries, these nomadic groups have learnt the culture and tradition form the people in the region and they have also influenced the local residents with their own culture and traditions. During several raids to Iran and India by Afghan Kings has also brought diversity to the region.

Transformation and Empowerment Stream GCRF Gender Justice and Security Hub has provided us the opportunity through the “Culture, Conflict and Women” to explore more about Afghanistan, the culture of the people residing in Afghanistan and the history of arts and crafts in particular. We worked in two main locations in Afghanistan Kabul the current capital city of the country and Kandahar the former capital city of the country, both of these cities are not only the main cities but also rich in culture and diversity. The people of Afghanistan have long been waiting for peace and stability so that they can return and continue with their hobbies of development through following their culture.

Afghanistan may be a single country but its diversity is beyond crosswords, even the atmosphere, climate and weather of the region has various colours. The north part of the region where you feel icy-cold during winter time but cloudless during summer. In contrast the south part of the region where you would feel nice and calm during the winter but burning hot during the summer time. The weather conditions in both parts of the region are ideal for the inhabitants to live and for the cultivation for different types of crop. previously the main activity men in both parts of the region could do were harvesting and trading the crops that they had raised, together with farming and trading they used to get training for the battle against foreign invaders which they used to call a “Holy War'' by the order of their Kings at the time, this seemed to be their culture at that time, but for women the trading was not a norm, they had a different approach for living, they use to educate their children the Islamic ways of living, they were also used to sew carpets, shelters, tents and other garments, they were very skilled in embroidery. They also took care of the animals by feeding them, walking them to the mountains and receiving food from the through milking them and by slaughtering them.

All ethnicities living in the country share most of the values which were the very authentic Afghan culture and traditions and norms such as celebrating “Nowroz” (new year in Zodiac calendar), they celebrate this event by preparing “Haft Mewa” (seven fruits) which is a type of foods made of seven types of dry fruits and sharing it between friends and families. They also celebrate and enjoy Eids, Music, Hospitality, Weddings and other occasions similarly. At the same time each ethnic group has their own cultural aspects as well, they have their own norms, traditions which can be different from other ethnic groups.

Kabul is the Capital of and the largest urban centre in the country and also its political and economic hub. Kabul is the core city and remains on the north bank of the Kabul River. Kabul has historically been the centre of culture, arts and crafts of all ethnic groups who are residing in the country. Kabul is known for its gardens, bazaars and beautiful palaces, an example being the famous Darul Amaan palace built as an office for King Amanullah Khan, Baghe Babur ( Babur Garden) built by Mughal emperor who named Kabul as a capital city of his empire.

Kandahar is the city that is located in the south of Afghanistan, on the side of Arghandab River. Kandahar is the second-largest city in the country. The town is the centre of a gorgeous cultural region of Loy Kandahar. In the past, this city was the capital of many various kingdoms and dynasties, due to these dynasties and the raiders of the Afghan kings in India and Iran brought people from those lands to Afghanistan and hence this maneuver diversified the culture and tradition in the country and also making the way open for trade. The main products that were used in trading were animals such as sheep, goats and cows, materialistic products such as wool, cotton, silk, felt, food grains, fresh and dry fruits, and tobacco and other drugs. Kandahar is also known for having one of the rich cultures, arts and crafts. The Kandhari embroidery (Khamak) is one of the famous embroideries of Afghanistan, the region and even in the world which has its own beauty, complexity. As they are done by hand they require a lot of time, effort, attention and determination in order to manage and produce one piece of the cloth with embroidery work on it. This norm still continues in parts of the regions and always surprises its fans with new designs and works.

The Beauty of Afghani Arts and Crafts
As most of the men in the region are still busy with improving the circumstances in the country, many women and girls have pursued a new hobby that would make them busy and can help the family financially. Using splendid techniques, embroidering is traditionally done by Afghan women and girls. They decorate the fabrics with gold, silver and other colour threads made of wool or silk. They embroider everyday items from producing curtains to tapestries and from bedspreads to dresses, hats and other clothing and fabric products. During the night, free from the house chores of the day, women have the opportunity to embroider in an intimate family atmosphere. The embroidering skills of women are widely admired, they are most openly appreciated when guests visit for wedding and holidays.

Through embroidery, women weave the heart of the family into a physical form and enriches family history.

Afghanistan is also famous because of its unique rug and carpet designs and has been known/noticeable for the rugs and carpets industry from centuries. A traditional Afghan rug has various designs being printed that are inspired by the culture and likes of a particular area, making the rug unique to that part of Afghanistan. It requires expertise and requires a lot of time, effort, attention and determination in order to produce a fine piece of rug and carpet. The designs, prints, colours, shapes and sizes of Afghan rugs are being adjusted as per the market requirement. Afghan rugs are seen as one of the best in the world.

The traditions and culture would continue for ages but new technology would have a direct affect on the work produced by the skilled worker which lowers the value of the product as the product produced by machine is not as good as it is produced by hands. Today, since we are in a peace regaining process and refugees and evacuees are gradually returning to their homeland, time is witnessing a slow revival of embroidery as an art form as the demand for local handicrafts are rising at a continued pace over the last few years.