INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR
ON THE REHABILITATION OF
AFGHANISTAN’S CULTURAL HERITAGE
Kabul, 27 – 29 May 2002
organized by
the Ministry of Information and Culture
of the Afghan Interim Administration
and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)
INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR
ON THE REHABILITATION OF AFGHANISTAN’S CULTURAL
HERITAGE
I.
Background:
Afghanistan, situated at an important junction on the ancient Silk Roads, has
been at the crossroads of cultures since time immemorial. Its unique cultural
heritage reflects a history marked by the complex encounters between Achaemenid
Persia, Alexandrian Greece, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam.
Due to prolonged armed conflict and fanaticism, much of this outstanding
cultural heritage has been destroyed. The Bamiyan Buddhas were dynamited in
March 2001 and in the following months most of the debris with traces of original
sculptures was taken away to be sold. In addition, the small Buddha statues in
Foladi and Kakrak were also destroyed and archaeological sites looted. Most statues
in the collections of the Kabul Museum were smashed, including many of those
that had been stored in the Ministry of Information and Culture for security
reasons.
The Ministry of Information and Culture of the Afghan Interim
Administration and UNESCO are therefore organizing an International Seminar to
bring together international and Afghan experts to prepare a framework for future
action for the rehabilitation of cultural heritage, and to prevent such deterioration
and deliberate destruction of cultural heritage from reoccurring.
The Seminar is to address the need to form a distinct policy on the
protection of cultural heritage, which is presently made even more necessary by the
desire of different parties to reconstruct Afghanistan as quickly as possible. Cultural
properties are likely to be put at risk by short-sighted actions if a safeguarding
policy is not established now. To this end, this Seminar aims to produce a
comprehensive first plan of action for a national cultural heritage strategy.
The massive destruction of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage has received
worldwide attention which has generated widespread pledges to assist Afghanistan
in the rehabilitation of its cultural heritage. The Seminar should discuss how funds
which have been offered by various governments and agencies could be channelled
efficiently and effectively in order to produce concrete and sustainable results.
II. Overall Aim:
To mobilize the international community in favour of Afghanistan’s cultural
heritage and ensure the proper coordination of short- and mid-term activities.
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III. Objectives:
 Exchange knowledge about the situation of the different monuments, sites
and museums in the country;
 Outline a policy framework for immediate and long term heritage protection;
 Set priorities and practical standards;
 Discuss fund-raising possibilities and initiate coordination between potential
donors;
 Establish the outline and terms of reference of the future UNESCO
International Coordination Committee, to ensure coordination and quality
control for all international initiatives in accordance with internationally
recognized conservation standards and conventions.
IV. Specific issues to be addressed:
 Urgent emergency needs of monuments and archaeological sites at risk and
establishment of a first plan of action;
 Future plans for the Kabul Museum;
 Creation of a national inventory of cultural properties;
 Organization of training of skilled professionals in conservation, restoration
and management; reorganization of the cultural administration in Kabul and
ensuring of effective monitoring systems; including the development of a
research centre, a library containing copies of all international instruments
for the protection of cultural heritage as well as translations of all such
instruments;
 Potential measures to be taken regarding the preservation of the Bamiyan
site;
 Legal instruments necessary to regulate the protection of cultural properties
and guard against illegal trafficking;
 Integration of cultural issues, including information sharing networks, into
the overall national reconstruction plans, in agreement with relevant
ministries.
V. The participants are invited to:
 Exchange their knowledge on cultural sites all over the country;
 Identify the funds available from the donor countries and agencies and
discuss their coordination;
 Discuss concrete programmes;
 Co-ordinate the first activities to be implemented as soon as possible.
VI. Languages: The working language is English.
VII. Date and venue: 27 – 29 May 2002, Kabul, Afghanistan.
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LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE
REHABILITATION OF AFGHANISTAN'S CULTURAL HERITAGE
Afghanistan
1. H. Exc. Mr Hamed Karzai, Chairman of the Afghan Interim Administration
2. H. Exc. Dr. Sayed Makdoom Raheen, Minister of Information and Culture
3. Prince Mirwais
4. H. Exc. Mr Gulam Rasul Yousufzai, Deputy Minister for Cultural Affairs
5. Mr Omar Khan Massoudi, acting Director of the Kabul Museum
6. Mr Abdul Wassie Ferouzi, Director General of the Center of Archaeology of the Academy of
Sciences
7. Dr. Zemaryalaï Tarzi, Former Director of the Afghan Institute of Archaeology, presently
Professor at Strasbourg University
8. Mr. Zafar Paiman, Afghan Archaeologist, Agency For Technical Co-operation and
Development (ACTED) and the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
9. Mr Abdul Hamed Mobariz
10. Mr Abdul Bari Rashed
11. Mr M.D. Aslam Hamkar
12. Mr Merahmad Go Joyenda
13. Mr Gulam Nagashband Rajabi
14. Mr Sayed Abdulfatah Adil
15. Mr Mir Ayub Motahir
16. Mr Rida Azimi
17. Ms Mahboba Saudat
18. Dr Shellah Jahan Totakhil
19. Engineer Ahmad Farid Hiddri
20. Mr Mohammed Qader Qaderdan
21. Mr Nazar Mohammed Azizi
22. Mr Sayed Abdul Gafar
23. Mr Gulam Faroq Nelab Rahimi
24. Mr Zabiullah Ismati
25. Mr Mir Hadir Motahir
26. Mr Sarwar Homayoin
27. Mr Ismatullah Osmani
28. Mr Amir Mohammed Shindandi
29. Mr Zamari Hakami
30. Mr Mir Mohammed Sediq
31. Mr Saied Zamanudin
32. Mr M. Yahyal
33. Mr M. Hasim Sahrq
34. Mr S. Sliman
35. Mr A. Hafik
36. Mr M. Ynoce
37. Mr A. Manan Bajawre
38. Mr M. Rafiq Khsnod
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39. Mr Ali Moujee
40. Mr Mir Abdul Rauf Zaker
41. Mr M. Fahim
42. Mr M. Rafee Andarabi
43. Mr Ketab Khan Faizee
44. Mr Abdul Bashir Hamedee
45. Mr M. Anwar Faiz
46. Mr Haidar Zad
47. Engineer Muhammad Ajan
48. Engineer Ahad
49. Mr Nasrula Sugman
50. Mr Sha Muhammad Maiwandi
51. Mr Neerul Haq Azizee
52. Mr Nasrulla Naser
53. Mr Wakil Aamad Papalzi
54. Engineer Said Mair
55. Mr Gulam Jelani Danari
56. Mr Bakhtyar
57. Mr Esmatula
58. Mr Aahmad Farid Ysufzi
59. Mr Aamad Fahim Entezar
60. Mr Abdul Wasay Ahadi
61. Engineer Hamayon Rawi
62. Engineer Khair Muhammad
63. Engineer Muheb
64. Engineer Nader
65. Engineer Enayat
66. Engineer Naim
67. Engineer Jurat
68. Engineer Ateq
69. Mr M. Akbar
70. Engineer Numan
France
71. Mr Jean-François Jarrige, Director of the Musée Guimet
72. Mr Pierre Cambon, chief curator at the Musée Guimet
73. Mr Paul Bernard, former Director of the Délégation Archéologique Française en Afghanistan
(DAFA)
Germany
74. Dr Mayke Wagner, Deputy Director, Eurasian Division, German Archaeological Institute
Greece
75. Mr Michail D. Maniatis, Development Officer for Afghanistan, Greek Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
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India
76. Mr Abnash C. Grover, Director of Monuments, Archaeological Survey of India
Italy
77. H. Exc. Mr Dominico Giorgi, Ambassador in Kabul
78. Prof. Giovanni Verardi, Istituto per l'Africa e l'Oriente de Roma
Japan
79. H. Exc. Mr Kinichi Komano, Ambassador in Kabul
80. Prof. Ikuo Hirayama, President of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music,
President of the Foundation for Cultural Heritage, President of the Japanese National
Commission to UNESCO and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
81. Mr Kazuya Yamauchi, Research fellow, Ancient Orient Museum
Pakistan
82. Dr Saeed-ur-Rehman, Director General of Archaeology and Museums, Government of
Pakistan
Switzerland
83. Mr Paul Bucherer-Dietschi, Director of the Swiss Afghan Museum in exile and the
Bibliotheca Afghanica Foundation
United Kingdom
84. Mr Robert Knox, Department of Oriental Antiquities, The British Museum
United States
85. Ms Sally Hodgson, US Embassy in Kabul
Agency For Technical Co-operation and Development (ACTED)
86. Mr Roland Besenval, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Aga Khan Trust for Culture
87. Dr Stefano Bianca, Director of the Historic Cities Support Programme
88. Mr Hassib Latfi
Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Documentaires sur l’Afghanistan
(CEREDAF)
89. Ms Véra Marigo, Chairperson
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Society for the Preservation of Afghanistan’s Cultural Heritage (SPACH)
90. Ms Brigitte Neubacher
91. Ms Ana Rodriquez
92. Ms Carla Grissmann
International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
93. Prof Michael Petzet, President
World Monuments Fund
94. Ms Angela Schuster, Director of Publications
International Foundation of Hope
95. Mr Ron Johnson, Marketing Director
World Heritage Committee
96. Dr Henrik Lilius, Chairperson
UNESCO
97. Mr Mounir Bouchenaki, Assistant Director-General for Culture
98. Mr. Christian Manhart, Division of Cultural Heritage
99. Ms Junko Taniguchi, World Heritage Centre
100. Mr Jim Williams, Cultural Advisor for Afghanistan
101. Ms Sophie Boukhari, Bureau of Public Information
102. Prof. Andrea Bruno, Advisor to the Assistant Director-General for Culture
103. Prof. Marco Menegotto, Advisor to the Assistant Director-General for Culture
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