Press Releases 2011
U.S.-Afghan Relations Celebrated
On September 7, over one hundred guests joined officials from the U.S. Embassy, the Afghan government, and the international community for the opening of In Small Things Remembered, a photo exhibition that highlights U.S.-Afghan relations from 1911 to the present. This photo exhibition is being funded by the U.S. Department of State, and was curated and organized by the Meridian International Center.
U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker welcomed guests, including Afghan Second Vice President Khalili and Minister of Information and Culture Raheen, to the opening of the exhibit. He noted that In Small Things Remembered reveals a special friendship between two nations and two peoples, adding that it also honors the resilience of the U.S.-Afghan partnership, and re-affirms the United States’ commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan.
Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Zalmai Rassoul and United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wrote personal messages that appear in Meridian’s exhibition catalog. Secretary Clinton’s message notes, “This exhibit demonstrates that the U.S.-Afghan relationship did not begin on Sept. 11, 2001, but that our friendship dates back to the 1910s. Through our shared values, our unity against common threats and enemies, and our commitment to a more peaceful world, we have deepened our friendship and cemented the bonds between our two peoples.”
The exhibit will be on display for eight weeks at Babur Gardens, and will host educational tours for tens of thousands of children from Kabul and the surrounding areas. The exhibit originally opened at Meridian International in Washington D.C. in March 2011, with participation by officials from the Afghan Embassy in Washington.