The fortress along Helmand River in the town of Grishk in Afghanistan is believed to date back to eight century. AFP
The fortress along Helmand River in the town of Grishk in Afghanistan is believed to date back to eight century. AFP
The fortress along Helmand River in the town of Grishk in Afghanistan is believed to date back to eight century. AFP
The fortress along Helmand River in the town of Grishk in Afghanistan is believed to date back to eight century. AFP

Aga Khan Trust launches website to track cultural threats in Afghanistan


Melissa Gronlund
  • English
  • Arabic

The Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Afghanistan has launched an information platform to track threats to cultural heritage in the country.

The Aga Khan Cultural Services' list will be hosted on major social media platforms of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and will allow the group to log threats to sites of historical importance and bring them to international attention.

The website will also form a repository of information indicating potential dangers to these areas. These can arise from a number of fronts, including economic development, Taliban policy, continuing conflict and climate change.

In its announcement, the committee said it had developed the website in “response to the need for unbiased and balanced information on cultural heritage”.

Community members can privately share news to be posted, but each piece of information on the website will be verified by members of the Aga Khan Trust before it is put online.

The platform launched with the story of a planned demolition of a fortress in Helmand that was halted in the last week by local community groups. Located along the Helmand River in the town of Grishk, the fortress is understood to date as far back as the eight century.

The fortress in Grishk was almost demolished last week. Photo: Special Collections, Harvard University Fine Arts Library
The fortress in Grishk was almost demolished last week. Photo: Special Collections, Harvard University Fine Arts Library

International interest in Afghan cultural heritage remains high and impartial information from the ground remains hard to come by. However, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture continues to staff and run its projects in the country.

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

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The biog

Name: Dr Lalia Al Helaly 

Education: PhD in Sociology from Cairo

Favourite authors: Elif Shafaq and Nizar Qabbani.

Favourite music: classical Arabic music such as Um Khalthoum and Abdul Wahab,

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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

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Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson

Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)

Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola

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T20 World Cup Qualifier A, Muscat

Friday, February 18: 10am - Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm - Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain

Saturday, February 19: 10am - Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm - UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain

Monday, February 21: 10am - Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm - Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines

Tuesday, February 22: 2pm – semi-finals

Thursday, February 24: 2pm – final

UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia

All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv

Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series

All matches at the Harare Sports Club:

1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10

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3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14

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UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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1.

United States

2.

China

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UAE

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Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

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Singapore

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Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

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South Korea

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D - C Palace, 2-2
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Updated: September 23, 2021, 1:58 PM