Afghan Exhibit Brings to Texas Recently Rediscovered Gold, Artifacts

Here is a related video report.

A traveling exhibit of precious art works from Afghanistan is currently at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, where it will remain until May 17. The exhibit, called “Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul,” was organized by the National Geographic Society in cooperation with officials from Afghanistan.

–snip–

One of the recent visitors to the museum in Houston was guest lecturer Ajmal Maiwandi, of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which is supporting restoration projects in Afghanistan. “I think in a multicultural, multireligious society like Afghanistan,” he says, “culture is what binds people together.”

In his lecture, Maiwandi described the progress that has been made in restoring sites like Baghe Babur in Kabul.

He says preservation of historic sites must be accompanied by social projects to help the people who live nearby. “Living conditions have to be improved in order that the sense of ownership is transferred on to that community,” he asked, “Who will then look after those projects? Down the line, one hopes that this exhibit can make it to Afghanistan and tour some of the cities of Afghanistan, where I think it is very important for people to realize their shared history and understand the depth and scope of the civilization.”

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-04-13-voa32.cfm