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Annual Symposium On Demand Program

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2021 Annual Symposium On Demand Program

At CW4WAfghan, we remain committed to our mission advancing the right to education for all, advocating for human rights, and advocating to support at-risk Afghans. 

This year’s annual symposium was hosted virtually on October 23. In a presentation of our field programs, we shared how CW4WAfghan is continuing our work in Afghanistan: 

  • delivering virtual education through the Darakht-e Danesh Library
  • distributing learning baskets
  • advocacy for the right to education for all
  • public engagement

We also enjoyed a presentation from Ruchi Kumar, an independent journalist reporting from South Asia, with a special focus on Afghanistan and India, who is behind a unique series of first-person stories published in The Guardian by women in Afghanistan.

The Symposium is a forum to connect and share ideas that help us explore and learn more about the importance of universal human rights in Afghanistan and what we can do as global citizens to support these rights. 

DID YOU KNOW?

The CW4WAfghan Annual Symposium, whether in person or virtual, is the ultimate forum to connect, to be inspired and to take action.

“CW4WAfghan is a totally unique community, and nowhere is that more on display than during the annual symposium. This is so much more than a conference. It’s the well where we draw our inspiration from to work as hard as we do for the women and girls of Afghanistan.”

–Murwarid Ziayee, Senior Director, CW4WAfghan

Participate in the 2021 Virtual Symposium On Demand Program

Click on the images to view the presentations. 

Keynote Address from Lauryn Oates
Pashtana Durrani presents how Learn Delivers
Women's Rights and Education Under the Taliban
Advocacy Campaign: standing with 5 million Afghan school girls

Meet our speakers:

  • Lauryn Oates, Executive Director, CW4WAfghan presents a keynote address.
  • Pashtana Durrani, an Activist, educator, innovator, and writer. She is Executive Director of @LEARNAfg.Global youth representative for Amnesty International, Malala Fund Education Champion, and contributes to Afghanistan Times and Kabul Times.
  • Meetra Qutb and Dana Kamour present a joint presentation.  Meetra Qutb holds an LLM in international human rights law from Lancaster University (UK) and an MA in Public Economics, Law and Politics from Lueneburg University (Germany). She is an independent researcher on human rights and is currently working as a consultant at Moonshot CVE.  Dana Kamour is a researcher at Women Living Under Muslim Laws

2021 Champion of Education Award

Awarded to: Every girl in Afghanistan
who ever wanted to go to school

This year, we could think of no one more worthy of recognition than the girls of Afghanistan who dream of education, at a time when their right to education is being denied to them. In tribute to their courage, this year’s 2021 Champion award recognizes every girl in Afghanistan who ever wanted to go to school.

Remarks delivered by veteran educational leader from Kandahar, Ehsanullah Ehsan and his daughter Balqis Ehsan, co-founder of Afghanistan Unites and advocate for women’s and youth rights.

Play Video

The Symposium and AGM has been held in:

  • Calgary, Alberta (2004-2007 and 2017)
  • Kingston, Ontario (2008)
  • Vancouver, British Columbia (2009)
  • Kelowna, British Columbia (2010)
  • Oakville, Ontario (2011)
  • Pictou, Nova Scotia (2012)
  • Victoria, British Columbia (2013)
  • Winnipeg, Manitoba (2014)
  • Banff, Alberta (2015)
  • Ottawa, Ontario (2016)
  • Toronto, Ontario (2018) Flicker To Flame: Teaching and Learning
  • Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia (2019) Forward, Together: Supporting Resilience, Resolve and the Courage to Learn
  • Virtual (2020): Never Go Back- Afghan women’s rights in the unfolding Intra-Afghan talks.
  • Virtual (2021): Eyes on Afghanistan