A Solstice and Shabe Yalda Celebration for Afghanistan
Tue, Dec 28, 2021 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5)
Register here.
A night of stories, poetry, music and human connection to shed light on the lives of Afghan artists and human rights defenders.
About this event
Over the ages, on the winter solstice, Afghans, Iranians, Kurds, Parsis, Azeris, and Persianate societies across South, West, and Central Asia have gathered around a korsi or sandali with their families, friends, and beloved community to celebrate Shab e Yalda and pass the longest and darkest night of the year. On this special night, we tell stories, read poetry, enjoy festive food, sing songs, light candles to banish the darkness, and together we wait for the rebirth of the sun.
This year, our family and loved ones in Afghanistan – and those of us who are connected to that land and culture – are living through and witnessing the very real impacts of successive wars, generational trauma, and unending heartache.
As the winter begins, we invite you to join us in celebrating Yalda – a holiday of closeness and human connection through the longest night.
Across the stars, through the soil, and online we will gather digitally to tell stories, hear poetry and music, remember hope, and share our light.
Hosted by Ariana Delawari
With lullabies and stories from artists and human rights advocates who recently escaped from Afghanistan.
And music, poetry, and visual arts from immigrant and diaspora heritage artists Zohra Saeed, Hamid Rahmanian, Nilufar Karimi and Eliseo Ortiz, Kevork Mourad and Kinan Azmeh, Fakhria, Mai Der Vang, Tyler Duncan and Erika Switzer, Mamak Khadem, Lisa Marie Simmons, Shahzia Sikander, and Shamsi Shamsysun.
Your donations support the Afghan Legal Empowerment Portal, the Uplift Afghanistan Fund, the Afghan American Artists and Writers Association, and Artivista Productions‘ efforts to help cultural workers, civil servants, and human rights defenders in Afghanistan find safety.
For those of you who are directly affected and/or who have been part of the ongoing aid and resettlement efforts, please attend for free as we hope this will be a nourishing and healing space for all.
With love,
Farnoosh, Gazelle, Ilaha, and Kayhan
*Photo credit: Rafiq Maqbool, Associated Press
