By: Brad Hanson

This monthly publication, “Afghanistan” is filling a real void.  No other publication like it exists in North America for the Afghan diaspora. It is an exciting and pioneering endeavor.

As I understand its mission, “Afghanistan” has two main goals:  to provide accurate information about Afghanistan and the Afghan diaspora in the United States and Canada, of interest to Afghans living in those two countries, and to provide practical information for Afghans starting a new life in the United States and Canada.

It seeks to do this via articles in three major languages of Afghanistan — Dari, Pashto, and Uzbek, and in English. It seeks to do this by calling upon Afghan journalists still in Afghanistan and Afghan professionals in the diaspora to report the news, offer their opinions, and provide useful information about dealing with the trials and tribulations of life in the United States and Canada.  It seeks to do this by distributing the newspaper gratis at places Afghans go in major cities in the United States and Canada.

And, as I understand, it seeks to do this from the point of view of Afghan national unity and tolerance and understanding for all ethnic groups in Afghanistan and the Afghan diaspora.

As a friend of many Afghans who are now living, studying, and working in the United States and Canada, I think “Afghanistan” has great potential for not only filling this void, but for also becoming a first-rate source of news, opinion, and practical information of interest and value to my Afghan friends.  Congratulations to the staff and contributors of this inaugural issue.  May you succeed!  Muwaffaq, Insha’Allah!