New Year Afghan Council UK - Afghan Event 7th May 2009
Mayvand’s speech:
Good evening everyone,
On behalf of the Afghan Council UK, I would like to welcome you to the Commonwealth Club to celebrate together Afghanistan New Year (Nawruz).
This New Year is different because every other year we have celebrated New Year with only our own Afghan community but in this year we celebrate with our close friends. This year is different because Afghanistan is moving forward and improving and we learn more every day about our mistakes in the past and how to work more effectively together for the future.
 Because we have promised to make a better life for the Afghan people together, we share both the positive side and the negative side. While nobody can ignore that Afghanistan is changing, this process is not easy and takes time. We must have patience.
 On behalf of the Afghan Council UK I want to say thank you very much too all the countries who are involved in Afghanistan today and a special thanks to the United Nations, the British government and the British army for all their hard work.
The aim of the event was to help people foster Afghan culture and to thank everyone and all the countries that have helped Afghanistan.
The event had guests from different backgrounds, representatives from the United States, Turkish, Canadian, Chinese, Australian, Iran, Italian, Afghan also came. FCO, DFID, MoD members came from the Afghanistan section.
Guest arrived at 5.30pm. Mariam Azizi and Hila Mayvand two young afghan girls living in London hosted the evening.
Mr F.A Mayvand, the Director of Afghan Council UK gave a speech about Afghanistan, the problems and how to overcome them, he mentioned the importance of young Afghans living in the UK and how they are Afghanistan’s future. Mr Mayvand also thanked all the embassies and soldiers for all their help in helping Afghanistan’s situation.
Mr Gregg Hands, MP of Hammersmith and Fulham gave a short talk about the Afghan Council UK and then handed out ten certificates to young Afghans living in the UK who have a certain talent or have done something well, whether it be in their studies at college, university, or volunteer work within the Afghan community. A few of the young Afghans who received the certificates also said a few words of thanks. One of them included an Afghan boy Parwiz Latifi a disabled Afghan student who recently graduated from Westminster University in the subject of Software engineering. “One of my main targets here was to come to Britain to study even to Masters Level and maybe in the future when the situation is perfect back home in Afghanistan to work with my people to bring my talent or my education back to Afghanistan to help poor people there.”
We also heard from Mr Ma Xin, who represented the Chinese Embassy and said a few words on the situation in Afghanistan. From the Afghan Embassy Mr Farid Popal came on stage to talk. We also heard from a representative speaking from the Italian and Turkish Embassy.
The event drew to an end with Afghan Traditional food available for the guests; to get a taste of Afghan culture. Timur Shaydayee and Amar Singh gave the audience an understanding of traditional Afghan music/songs.
"Frankly, no one can praise the Afghan Council UK highly enough for convening such an unprecedented event. I am certain that much of this success was to the dedication and organisation of the staff responsible for the event. The overall event was one of its kinds, and was a genuine portrayal of the Afghan New Year Nowrouz. The part I enjoyed the most was the distribution of recognition awards to the Afghan youth for their outstanding achievements, and serving the Afghan community in the United Kingdom. All credit goes the Director of the Afghan Council UK, Mr. Mayvand who has always been a role model in supporting the Afghan youth and the Afghan diaspora in general." Ikram
The Nowroz event was really helpful and motivating. Thanks to Mr Mayvand and the Afghan community team for their great effort and hard work in accomplishing to hold such a successful and special event to reveal the actual truth, love and the beautiful culture of Afghanistan which are limitedly portrayed up to a certain extent through the media. The event envisioned the promising future of both Afghans and Afghanistan by showing the unity among the friendly countries including Italy, Turkey and the U.K. Prior to the event I had never felt so close to my Afghan community and never pondered upon the love and support that Afghans will always have for one another even though they are thousands of miles away from their homeland. The outcome of the event has really been positive giving the young individuals the opportunity to attain a closer relationship as well as motivation towards building a more successful future for their homeland. Haroon
Thank you for your kind email. It was a pleasure to attend the event and an honour to be awarded by Afghan Council UK. The event was in fact a recognition of the the importance of higher education and investment in human capital. Afghanistan's professional classes had been decimated by decades of war and social upheaval. Therefore, any event which highlights the significance of this issue is very welcome. Afghan Council UK can take the initiative to hold academic seminars, conferences and events by young Afghan students in academia and publish their articles, essays and research findings. This will undoubtedly foster an intellectual milieu for discussion and dialogue. M Sharif Razai
Being able to participate in such an inspiring event increases my motivation to achieve my full potential and keep working harder in future. I would like to thank the Afghan council in particular Mayvand jan for considering me worthy enough for this award. I also thoroughly appreciated the opportunity to meet my peers and felt truly honoured to be recognized by the Afghan council as it gave me the chance to feel more entwined with my Afghan roots. It is great to know that there are people out there enthusiastic enough to keep up morale in the Afghan community through awards such as this. My aim to achieve my personal best is stimulated by the will and thought of possibly being able to bring changes to my beloved Afghanistan. Mohammad Qais Sekanderzada
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks Afghanistan has been given a debauched image by the media. I genuinely hope that this event has unshackled the minds of the stakeholders in Afghanistan's progress. The talks given by the number of important personalities gave us a wider understanding of our responsibilities as Afghans that includes inside and outside of the United Kingdom. The "world famous" afghan food created an important and impressive environment of its own for the Non-Afghans, which included the traditional food we serve every year on Nowruz (New Year). Organising and participating in the celebration has been an outstanding experience, one not to be forgotten, the event has been a symbol of coming together and being one, regardless of your ethnicity, as we live in a multi-cultural society. This was a great opportunity for the Afghan Council UK to promote and raise awareness concerning Afghanistan. I feel honoured and privileged to have been given a chance to show the British public as well as many ambassadors/ representatives the underlying beauty of my homeland. I would like to thank my co-worker Miss Hila Mayvand and most importantly Mr Mayvand for his relentless efforts. Nowrooz Mubarak (1388) to all my dear brothers and sisters. May Allah guide you all through the right path and reward everyone with the highest of Jannah. Ma'a salaama Mariam  Azizi
