Nancy Hatch Dupree (1927-2017)
It is with great sadness that the NATO Archives mourns the passing of Nancy Hatch Dupree, the internationally renowned archivist and historian affectionately known as “the Grandmother of Kabul” who left this world on 10 September 2017. For over half a century, Nancy Dupree’s efforts to preserve the history and cultural heritage of Afghanistan ultimately led her to the creation and stewardship of an archival center at Kabul University that houses over 60,000 Afghan documents and artifacts.
Nancy Dupree (right) at NATO HQ with Nick Williams, Head Operations Afghanistan Team (left), and Ineke Deserno, NATO Archivist, (center). 9 December 2015
In her role as the NATO Archivist, Ineke Deserno had the pleasure of getting to know Nancy Dupree personally when she was welcomed to NATO HQ to deliver a keynote address to the Archives Committee in December 2015. “I am so sad to hear of the passing of Nancy Dupree, historian, archivist, preserver of the Afghan cultural heritage. Nancy gave an extraordinary personal account of her life dedicated to the preservation of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage to the NATO Archives Committee on 8th December 2015. She voiced her strong commitment to educating Afghan people to rediscover their history as a tool of empowerment to move beyond conflict and toward peace. I will always remember her words about the important role that history plays in creating a sense of belonging for the young generation. Her spirit and passion for her work are an inspiration to all and will continue to live on.”
Full coverage of Nancy Dupree’s participation at NATO HQ in December 2015 can be viewed here.