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Global Days of Listening is the project of Afghan Peace Volunteers (APV) who invite people around the world to talk directly on the 21st of each month via livestream and Skype sessions with youth in Afghanistan and other war-torn countries, to listen to the ordinary voices of those whose homeland is occupied with violence. The next Day of Listening is March 21, 2014, which is also NahRoz, the Afghan New Year. Do contact GDoL directly if you would like to participate in the next session.
As the host of Tidings from Hazel Kahan on WPKN radio I was invited, along with others around the world, to participate in the November 21, 2013 Global Day of Listening.
The quality of the night-time livestream and Skype connection may have varied but with the expert translation into English and Dari by Hakim, their mentor, the communication between us and the Afghan youth in Kabul was clear as a bell.
My first question: What should radio listeners out here in Connecticut and Long Island know about you in Afghanistan that they don’t know?
The answer came back loud and clear: “If you are of military age or the parents of military age children, don’t come here as soldiers. Don’t do it. Stay at home. Don’t believe the propaganda that soldiers come here to establish democracy or freedom. The methods the soldiers are required to use here are the methods of war and killing. And you will suffer losses for nothing.”
Afghan teenagers and Hakim address us directly:
(I plan to post replies to my other questions at a later date.)
