We were thrilled to host a fascinating discussion with poets Meral Alizada and Hadisa Hussain Afzaly, exploring their respective experiences with poetry and learning more about the history of the art form in Afghanistan.

A huge thank you to everyone who tuned in and sent in questions for the speakers - we hope you enjoyed the conversation as much as we did!

Among many things, we discussed:

• Some of Afghanistan's legendary poets, including Rumi, who was born in Balkh province;
• The role poetry can play in uniting people through adversity and hardship;
• How poetry has developed as a tradition across Afghanistan;
• And we heard some of Meral and Hadisa's favourite poems, including some of their own.

As a person who was born in England, [poetry] was something that was always in the background… At our family gatherings, we would always recite poetry. It is such an integral part of Afghan existence. - Meral Alizada

Missed the discussion? Come back for more? Watch the recording:

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