Harnessing Tourism as a Strategic Tool to Promote Peace, Unity, and Economic Prosperity in Afghanistan

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Honorable Mr. Bawari, honorable Mr. Farooqi, honorable Mr. Azmoon Pacha, Ustad Ghazanfar, all guests, Mr. Fazli, friends who have come from Pashtunkhwa and university professors, governors, Mr. Popal, representatives of the private sector: Xosh keldig! Welcome! Welcome! Today is not a day where we Afghans are not sitting on the carpet of grief; therefore, terrorism is not a phenomenon that leaves us at peace for a moment. In a day, month, and week where the security situation of the country requires extraordinary attention, why this seminar and what is its importance? It is because a human always thinks in at least two dimensions: the present and the future. We are not a nation that is a slave to the past; we are believers in the future. Our courage is revealed when, while on the carpet of grief, we think of our firm, sustainable, and certain future. It is for this reason that I express my gratitude to Mr. Bawari and all colleagues who, by organizing this seminar today, show that the Afghan nation believes in the future and determines its own future.

Strategic Importance of Tourism & Connectivity

Tourism is a major source of income and business in the world, as well as a great means of creating good relations between peoples and nations. For Afghanistan, which possesses immense attractions in historical, natural, and cultural terms, it can hold great importance. The great 20th-century British historian, Toynbee, attributed special importance to Afghanistan's location, situated at the crossroads and route of commercial caravans. In places where caravans pass, a continuous connection of humans, ideas, cultures, civilizations, and goods is established, and this very connection causes life, culture, and civilization to flourish. From the beginning of its history, since the Aryan era, Afghanistan has played the role of a crossroads for trade, culture, and ideas, and it will continue to do so.

Historical Heritage & Archeological Legacy

During the Buddhist period of our history, pilgrims played a major role in the transfer of thought and civilization. Chinese travelers came to Bamiyan at that time and left us lasting relics. Therefore, we have a wealth of information regarding the ancient history of Bamiyan. Similarly, in the north of Afghanistan, Ai-Khanum is the only city in all of Asia that possesses one hundred percent Greek characteristics. Apart from Ai-Khanum, no such Greek city exists in the whole of Western Asia. The first Chehel Sotoun (Forty Columns) was in Ai-Khanum, and its stadium at that time had space for four to six thousand people. Long before the arrival of Alexander of Macedon, Greeks had come here and were engaged in business. There was a British historian named Holdich who wrote an excellent book titled The Gates of India, and he proves that several hundred years before Alexander’s arrival, Greeks were in Afghanistan, specifically settled in the Panjshir Valley and Andarab. He solved the mystery of how Alexander was able to come from Herat and move through various valleys. Even today, if you look at the Panjshir Valley, some models are still Greek. If you go to Andarab—I have traveled through it several times on horseback—the outposts built by Alexander are still present. During the Islamic era, in addition to trade, Afghanistan was an important center and area of transition for ideas and beliefs. For example, the Naqshbandi order, which began in Central Asia, reached India and Baghdad through Afghanistan within a hundred years. Every period of our history can create a specific type of tourism. In our dear country, there is no shortage of places that hold memories of different periods of history. If you look only at the Bala Hissar, it has a history of at least three thousand years, and French archaeologists are working on it right now. I want to congratulate Mr. Bawari for giving me his latest book; as soon as I looked at it, I saw the ancient relics of all zones of Afghanistan mentioned in it. Here, one can say very easily and boldly that Afghan civilizations were built upon rivers, and every river in Afghanistan was the center of a great empire. If you look at Mundigak, it has a history of at least 2,500 years. Balkh is known to everyone, as are Herat and Badakhshan. There is no place in Afghanistan whose major city was not the center of an empire. Therefore, all Afghans can boldly say that they are equal to one another and have taken a shared part in history.

Intellectual Contributions & Global Impact

Just as Afghanistan was a great center for the transfer and connection of thought, culture, and civilization for thousands of years, in the future, Insha'Allah, it can play this role again. To reach this goal, as much as terrorism creates obstacles and causes damage, tourism is equally effective and proves beneficial. Do not forget that Taxila and Nangarhar were places of specialization in Algebra, and those numerals which are known today as Arabic numerals—upon which the entire European system of calculation is based—reached Baghdad through this route and from Baghdad reached Europe. So, I specifically thank my sisters and brothers who have come from Pashtunkhwa. Welcome back to your home! After ending the evil of terrorism, Afghanistan can have between two to five million foreign tourists in the future.

Trade Systems & The Culture of Trust

One of the major axes of connection between cultures and civilizations has been trade, and our country has a rich history in this regard. As I said before, Alexander was able to progress quickly because Greek-origin and Greek-speaking traders had been living throughout Afghanistan for hundreds of years prior. Why is the ancient trade system important for our future? Today, if you look at the highways, the main points that were the axis of civilizations in the past have been left on the sidelines because caravans traveled through valleys and mountain passes. If you look carefully only at the relics existing from Kunduz to Badghis, it shows that major cities were along the Silk Road; and if you look at the central route coming from Ghor and Bamiyan and connecting on one side to Kabul and on the other to northern Afghanistan, these were our major connecting routes. For this reason, a major part of our future tourism is based on our past cultural heritage. According to some beliefs 2,000 years ago, and at least in the last 600 years based on my personal research, the Hawala system existed. Gold and silver were both expensive and heavy; for this reason, in this sector, from Nepal to Bukhara, Nizhny Novgorod, Kerman, and Baghdad, we had a system of transferring remittances (Hawala). Hawala was the "American Express" of that time. In all of this, there was a chain of trust where money was paid based only on a word, a code, or a paper. This is a great chain! The role of caravans and nomads (Kochis) was also vital. Our caravans were continuous. People wonder why one-third of the people of Afghanistan were nomads, and from all ethnic groups of Afghanistan. Arab, Gujjar, Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen, Pashtun, Hazara, and Baluch—we were all included in this. One major reason was that a caravan did not move without camels, horses, and donkeys. Second, the seasonal movements of the Kochis were the largest transition market, and this was a type of connection. Our nation is a connected nation. Someone not familiar with trade takes time to get acquainted; but we have a magnificent trade culture that has resulted in connections. Afghans in Moscow, about 50,000, live with dignity and feed others, and the same in other places. In the transfer of these money networks, religious minorities played a very essential role. Why did we have Sikh, Hindu, Jewish, and Armenian traders in every major city? Because these were networks of connection, and these networks of connection were networks of trust.

Natural Beauty & Geographical Resources

Another point to return to is the "natural beauty" of Afghanistan. If you want to understand Kabul, you only need to read one book: the Baburnama! What does Babur say about Kabul? East and west, north and south, China and India, Rome—at that time they called the Ottoman Empire Rome—all converged in Kabul. The international culture of Kabul was the result of commercial trade and an open culture of connection. The beauty of our nature is one of the greatest capitals that God (SWT) has given to Afghanistan. From the Wakhan of Badakhshan to Nuristan, Kunar, the beautiful valleys of Jaji and Mangal and Zarmat Paktia; or look this way to Takhar, Kunduz, Balkh, Samangan, Badghis, Faryab, Jowzjan, and Sar-e Pol! In which of these do we not find matchless natural beauty? The first point is our mountains. The majority of our mountains have not yet been tested by mountaineers. Look at Daykundi, Bamiyan, Ghor, and Ghazni, and look only at the Ajristan valley, where the best rafting is possible. For 100 to 150 kilometers, roaring white water flows down. During the Middle Ages when the Arabs came, the Helmand [river] was navigable for ships; and the first long highway of 200 kilometers was created around the Helmand. Palace after palace, village after village, city after city—life was everywhere. Look at Mirzaka in Paktia, look at Khost, look at Logar, look at Ghazni! These are all full of history, and the place we call Nimruz today was the capital of Rustam; Zaranj was the city of Rustam. Therefore, history has become one with our natural culture. North of the Hindu Kush has trout. South of the Hindu Kush generally does not have trout. The best natural fishing is possible in Afghanistan. Also, look at Salma Dam; it has created a continuous area of 100 kilometers for water sports. Last week I went to Sarobi to see the flood victims—I again offer condolences to all—I saw our dams again. And there are many possibilities for these dams to be used fundamentally again. Or go to Kapisa, look at Sayyad; today, people through their own initiative built some places by the river where they catch fish and eat them there. But think if Sayyad were transformed into a grand water tourism site. And Paghman is forgotten by no one, but the part people have forgotten is that Paghman has the potential for the most winter skiing sports. All this is because our nature is a magnificent blessing. Look at the Shewa of Badakhshan and the Ab-e Istada of Ghazni. Do not forget that the hot springs of Obe, Andarab, or dozens of other places where there are natural hot springs—all this wealth is untouched.

Action Plans for Preservation & Development

So, Mr. Bawari and colleagues, the reason I mentioned these is that your seminar must give us plans. How should we use our natural wealth? Let me not forget Band-e-Amir. A month ago, I went for the inauguration of the Yakawlang-Dara-i-Suf road. We thank the new President of the American University for being here. Mr. Hallan, Mr. David Sedney, and the Chinese Ambassador were with me. Both of them immediately thought about how a direct flight from Dubai or elsewhere, like Central Asia, could be created to Bamiyan. All this nature is a great capital, and your role in it is that this capital must be classified, clarified, and you should make proposals for its preservation. Today, if we do not preserve this capital, tomorrow future generations will blame us. Therefore, my first proposal for you is to propose how many natural parks we should create in Afghanistan and how we should manage these natural parks. Second; we started the reconstruction of historical heritage from our major mosques; because mosques and Khanaqas connect our past, future, and present. Eidgah Mosque is under renovation, and work is being done on the Shrine of the Holy Cloak (Khirqa Sharif). The mosque of the Old City, the Great Mosque of Herat, the Blue Mosque (Rawza Sharifa)—but these and hundreds of other mosques must be renovated, and I want a plan from you here. The next dimension is our Bala Hissars. Afghanistan is among the few countries that still has Bala Hissars that have not been destroyed. If another country had these Bala Hissars, what honors would they not have from them by now. The Citadel of Herat (Qala Ikhtyaruddin), by the grace of God (SWT), was rebuilt; but Ghazni, Gardez, Kunduz, Balkh-i-Bami, other places, and the Bala Hissar of Kabul remain. I am not classifying each of these, but the necessity is that, Mr. Bawari, our different historical periods should be classified, so that in the future these can be connected with one another.

Internal Tourism & National Unity

I express gratitude for the presence of the private sector; first for the role you played in domestic tourism. Domestic tourism is one of the forgotten points. Today, go to Panjshir, you will find a large portion of tourists from Kandahar among them; and if you go to Faizabad, the tourists are the same. You make your profits there, [laughter] because you are all Afghans, and at the same time, we want those from Panjshir in Kandahar. Domestic tourism is not only a point of sightseeing; it is the point of connection for our national unity. Because every point of Afghanistan belongs to every Afghan and is a source of pride and hope for every Afghan. Specifically, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education must provide the ground for students' wide recognition of our historical, cultural, and natural heritage. Until we have seen it, our hearts do not ache for it; and one reason I call every place in Afghanistan my own is because I have seen and visited the 34 provinces of Afghanistan and I am proud of them. My hope is that such a "crazy love" for the soil is created in every Afghan child as I have, because we are "crazy" for the love of this homeland and we take pride in it!!

Tourism as a Counter-Terrorism Strategy

From the perspective of culture; do not forget that Al-Biruni laid the foundation for understanding culture. The book Al-Hind, written a thousand years ago, is still one of the most important cultural works in the contemporary history of the world. A man who went in the retinue of a conqueror, learned Sanskrit, and found a deep understanding of culture. Do not forget Ibn Battuta. The other day I reread the section on Parwan, and you would think the Shomali Plain is present and existing here right now. So, the necessity is that we look at tourism as a counter-tool to terrorism; you talk about this, and it is appropriate [to discuss] what obstacles are created for tourism or travel. My view to you is the opposite: tourism prevents terrorism, because in today's world, tourism or travel is a means by which two humans who previously had no connection become connected again. I saw dozens of people in America and Europe who had come to Afghanistan during the decade of democracy or the years of the Republic of the late Daoud Khan. The one who saw Afghanistan with their own eyes, ate bread here, wandered in its valleys, and climbed its mountains, has a different kind of memory. For them, Afghanistan was not a "black spot"; for them, Afghanistan was a home of hospitality. What those tourists remembered was a country that had guest-keeping and open arms. Never did someone who came to our soil with good intentions see anything other than a good welcome and nationwide hospitality. And that Afghanistan is the real Afghanistan; that Afghanistan exists, this Afghanistan will be revived again, and this Afghanistan will be a home for all. I thank all of you again; specifically Mr. Bawari and the initiative of all colleagues in the Ministry of Information and Culture. I welcome the warm presence of all of you. It is hoped that this seminar will result in specific and practical proposals and clear plans. If people think it is premature, my message as your first servant is that it is not premature. Be ready—peace, stability, and prosperity are coming; in hope of that day!