Celebrating Poetry as Spring Comes to Afghanistan Slug: Afghan poet Reporter: Ghayor Waziri Date: 08 April 2013 INTR

!un"re"# of Afghan poet# gathere" in $alala%a" &ity to 'ele%rate the 'o(ing of #pring )ith an annual poetry fe#ti*al+ ,any )rite a%out their "e#ire for a pea'eful an" unite" Afghani#tan+ Ghayor Waziri (eet# one a#piring poet to tal- a%out hi# hope# for the future of Afghan#+ T./T: S0/ 1 1 the party #oun"2 The range 3lo##o( 0e#ti*al i# an annual poetry fe#ti*al+ It (ar-# the #tart of #pring in Afghani#tan4 )ith a 'ele%ration of poetry fro( pro(inent lo'al poet#+ 5oetry ha# long %een a 'ultural tra"ition an" an i(portant part of the 'ountry6# e"u'ation+ S0/ 2 1.zatullah 7a)a% telling hi# poe( in the party 2 388year8ol" .zatullah 7a)a%4 i# perfor(ing hi# ne) poe( entitle" 93e 3ra*e:+ !e6# a poet fro( $alala%a"4 )ell -no)n for hi# poe(# a%out pea'e an" unity+ !e ha# pu%li#he" hi# poe(# %oth in 5a#hto an" .ngli#h+ .zatullah 7a)a% 'lip 1 1 ,ale;5a#hto2 9 I6*e %een intere#te" in poetry #in'e 'hil"hoo"+ When I )a# at #'hool an" I )a# only 1< year# ol"4 I #tarte" )riting poe(#+ I )rote (any poe(# a%out unity an" pea'e for Afghan# %e'au#e there )a# #till fighting in Afghani#tan after =0 year#+: It6# the 10th ti(e for .zatullah to parti'ipate in the range 3lo##o( 0e#ti*al+ !e u#ually )rite# poe(# a%out unity4 e"u'ation an" the %eauty of nature+ .zatullah 7a)a% 'lip 2 1(ale;5a#hto2 9Thi# ti(e I )rite a%out pea'e+ In re'ent year# the Afghan go*ern(ent an" the international 'o((unity ha*e (a"e (any atte(pt# to hol" pea'e negotiation# )ith oppo#ing ar(e" group# to %ring pea'e to the 'ountry+ I )rite poe(# a%out pea'e to en'ourage people to)ar"# pea'e an" unity+ We6re in "ire nee" of pea'e+ An" it6# part of e*ery author# an" poet# re#pon#i%ility to pro(ote pea'e+:

S0/ 3 1.zatullah telling hi# poe(2 Thi# poe( i# 'alle" 95ro(oting >nity:+ ?a#t year it )on an a)ar" fro( lo'al 'i*il #o'iety organi#ation#+ T)o year# ago he al#o re'ei*e" an a)ar" fro( a group Afghani#tan National 3u#ine##(en for hi# poetry+ Through poetry4 .zatullah )ant# to 'hannel people6# fru#tration#+ .zatullah 7a)a% 'lip 3 1(ale;5a#hto2: 9When I perfor( (y poe(# on #tage4 people #ay to (e that they6re really prou" of (e+ Afghani#tan i# a 'ountry )here (o#t people are une"u'ate"+ 3e'au#e of thi#4 they 'an6t #hare their pro%le(# an" "e#ire# through )riting+ 3ut a poet 'an4 an" they appre'iate it+ 5eople re#pe't poetry here+ I thin- e*ery poet an" author #houl" tal- a%out people6# #uffering+: S0/ = 15oet# #ang an" people 'lapping "uring the party2 228year8ol" !a#h(at Sapay i# not a poet+++ %ut he lo*e# poetry #o (u'h that he6# 'o(e to @oin in the fe#ti*al+ !e %elie*e# that #u'h e*ent# 'an ha*e a po#iti*e i(pa't on #o'iety+ !a#h(at Sapay 'lip 1 1,ale;5a#hto2: 9A lot of Afghan an" 5a-i#tani 5a#htun poet# parti'ipate" in the fe#ti*al+ ,any of the( )rite a%out pea'e an" unity+ I %elie*e thi# -in" of fe#ti*al for poet# 'an 'reate a po)erful union %et)een Afghan#+ Thi# e*ent 'an ha*e an effe't on people of the region a# )ell+: S0/ < 1 range %lo##o( party an" people #oun" )ho 'lapping for a poet2 The go*ernor of Nangerhar pro*in'e4 Gul Agha Sherzay4 al#o #hare" hi# poe( entitle" 9&o(e ut fro( Aiolen'e:+ Sherzay 'lip 1 1,ale;5a#hto2 9It6# ti(e for unity+ None of the generation# or tri%e# i# a%le to %ring pea'e until )e all gather in unity+ If )e )ant to %ring pea'e to our 'ountry4 )e #houl" fir#t %e unite"+++: 0or A#ia &alling thi# i# Ghayor Waziri fro( Ba%ul Afghani#tan+