Afghan Products Exhibition in Cultural Capital, Bamiyan
Afghan businesses helped by the UK-supported Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Program (AREDP) showcased their products in Bamiyan
Famous for its ancient Buddha statues which were tragically destroyed in 2001 and the Band-e-Amir National Park with its turquoise blue lakes, Bamiyan has been chosen as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) cultural capital for 2015.
To celebrate this achievement, dozens of colourful cultural events including exhibitions, music shows, workshops and festivals took place in June. They were attended by many government officials, foreign dignitaries and visitors, as well as people from across Afghanistan.
Exhibitions from AREDP included enterprises from Parwan, Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar and Bamyan provinces and showcased rural products in order to find new customers and increase sales. Products displayed included handicrafts, textiles, jewellery, saffron, honey and carpets.
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Over the last five years, AREDP has been helping to promote Afghan produce, organising 58 national and international exhibitions involving hundreds of different enterprises.
AREDP has also been supporting Afghan businesses to develop capacity and improve product quality. AREDP is funded through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), to which the UK is a key donor.