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With wish for peace, photo exhibition in Hiroshima shows daily life, nature of Afghanistan

by Yuji Yamamoto, Staff Writer

A photo exhibition featuring Afghanistan opened on October 28 at the former Bank of Japan’s Hiroshima Branch building. The photos show the natural beauty of the country’s mountainous region and the daily life of its people, who have suffered from lengthy conflicts and are now moving forward with the reconstruction of their nation. The exhibition will run through November 6. Admission is free.

On display are 36 photos, including those of archaeological remains in the Bamiyan Valley, where huge Buddha statues were destroyed by the former Taliban regime. Other photos show the capital city of Kabul undergoing reconstruction from damage caused by bombings, smiling friends and relatives sitting around a dinner table, and people having fun playing soccer. There are also photos showing the grandeur of nature such as the beautiful deep blue lakes of Band-e Amir.

Seeing the photos, Shunsuke Fukuba, 27, a photographer who lives in Minami Ward, Hiroshima, said, “The history of Afghanistan is similar to that of Hiroshima in that both were battered by war. I felt the strength in people’s lives.”

This photo exhibition has been organized by the Hiroshima Office of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Photos on display were taken by Afghan government officials who took part in UNITAR’s leadership programs.

(Originally published on October 29, 2014)

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