My homeland

Afghanistan is a country with 5 years of historical and cultural background. According to the east, this country is known as the fourth way of connecting largest cultures and traditions between human.
Different cultures such as Widi, Avesta, Western (Bakhtari), Greek, Buddhism, and Islam exist inside Afghanistan which show the historical background of this Asian country.
During the Avesta era, the largest temple of Zoroastrians was located in Afghanistan and by influence of Buddhism the largest statue of Buddha was built in Afghanistan. By the advent of Islam and spreading in Afghanistan, many scientists such as Mawlawi Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi, Nasir Khisraw Balkhi, Saniee Ghaznawi, Abu Naser Farabi and Bu Ali Sinai Balkhi were born in Afghanistan and provided many cultural and scientific services to the world.
By having many historical locations, which are known as famous locations at the present, such as “Qala Tarikhi Bast” in Helmand province, “Takht Rustam” in Samangan province, “Qala Fraidon” in Farah province, Herat’s historical minarets, Ghor province’s “Jam” minarets etc, many tourist were visiting Afghanistan in the past and today some of the mentioned locations are included in the list of the world’s cultural heritages from which we can name “Jam” minarets of Bamyan province which has a historical background of more than 830 years.
Herat province was the capital of Herat’s Temorian people from 1401 to 1506 “B.C” and this city was very developed during this period. These people built many buildings inside this city which are known as the important, historical and cultural heritages of Afghanistan.
Ghazni city is known as the “Capital of Islamic Culture” by Scientific, Cultural and Educational Institution of Islamic countries in the world. This title will be formally dedicated to this city in the year 2013.
One of the other traditions habits, that is left from our ancestors to us, is celebrating some of the days which our people celebrate based on the beliefs they have such as EID days which our people celebrate it by wearing new clothes, going and visiting their friends and relatives, and decorating their homes and dining tables with various dry and fresh fruits and sweets for the guests.
Also the people in different cities of Afghanistan celebrate “Nawroz” (New Year) as a national and religious occasion by going to shrines, sightseeing, and hiking. “Red Rose” (Gul-e-Surkh) and raising the flag in Caliph Ali’s shrine in Mazar-e-Sharif city can be good examples of them.

Every country’s culture identifies its identity and Afghanistan one of those countries with very old history. I proud to be an Afghan and hope one day we can build again previous Afghanistan.

By Sadia Hasanzada