"If I had stayed in Afghanistan, I might have been killed," says singer Elaha Soroor . Creative, bold, and unapologetically loud: everything women in Afghanistan are forbidden to be. She fled years ago after facing hostility and attacks as a member of the Hazara minority.
Since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, life for women has become even more restrictive: education is blocked, they are excluded from public life, and music and art are almost entirely banned. Afghanistan's rich multicultural heritage is at risk of disappearing. For female artists, working inside the country has become nearly impossible.
Five courageous Afghan women artists in exile in Europe share how they preserve their country's culture — for themselves and for those back home. With exclusive illustrations and rare archive material, we look back at the cultural roots of a country sealed off from the world.
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