10 March 2008
A photo exhibition entitled, “Through Afghan Eyes,” opened at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 10 March 2008. The photos aim to portray Afghanistan, its culture and history, through the eyes of the Afghan people themselves.
The event was organized by the NATO Public Diplomacy Division (PDD) and the British Council. Aina, an Afghan photojournalism institute and agency, provided the photos for the exhibition.
Jean-François Bureau, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, and Dr. Zia Nezem, Afghan Ambassador to Belgium, opened the ceremony, which was also attended by Afghan academics.
Aina Photojournalism Institute is the first and only educational photojournalism and photography institute in Afghanistan. The institute began training Afghans in September 2002 and strives to give Afghans the opportunity to disseminate their work by ensuring the implementation of high photography standards. Through education, the Aina Photojournalism Institute aims to integrate the first generation of truly independent photojournalists into a formerly restrictive society.
Before the official inauguration, the Afghan academics met with NATO officials and representatives of national delegations to discuss reconstruction, security and public diplomacy aspects of NATO’s operation in Afghanistan.
