SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS ‘UNHEARD VOICES OF AFGHANISTAN’ PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT

IS MOVING COLLECTION THROUGH EYES OF THOSE HIT HARDEST

 

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the opening of the exhibition of “Unheard Voices of Afghanistan”, in New York on 10 October:

Thank you all for coming to the opening of this remarkable exhibition.  I have been to many exhibitions that raise awareness about war and poverty.  But this is the first I have seen showing the view through the eyes of those who are hit the hardest.

Oxfam has done a great service by giving Afghan women cameras and teaching them how to write captions so their voices can finally be heard.

The result is a remarkably moving collection.  The photographers have great affection for their subjects, but they are not afraid to capture the stark reality.

Mothers show the terrible struggles of Afghanistan’s children, who have to work instead of going to school.  Girls show their relatives enduring sickness or disability without health care.  Friends show families who go to bed hungry at night.  And they also show how the struggle for water can sometimes turn violent.

Afghanistan is facing these very real problems.  But the exhibition is not only about pain and suffering.  The women photographers have produced an artistic and deeply moving collection that we can all learn from.  And its main lesson is how much Afghan women can accomplish when they are given the chance.

Afghanistan is struggling against the ravages of war and natural disaster, but it is also a proud country full of capable people who can create the great future they deserve.

Right now we need a major humanitarian push to ensure that immediate assistance reaches all Afghans who need it.  At the same time, we have to work for long-term development.  And above all, we must secure lasting peace in Afghanistan.

This exhibition helps inspire confidence that we can reach these great goals when we empower Afghan women and let their voices be heard.

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