Afghanistan News Calendar (2010)
Sunday, March 21
Nowruz or Afghanistan's solar-based Zoroastrian new year and one of the biggest annual festivals during which tens of thousands of people from across the country travel to the northern Mazar-i-Sharif city to celebrate the event in the Hazrat Ali shrine
Monday, March 22
National Education Day. The event is celebrated by a gathering of school students and teachers in Kabul and other cities. As a tradition, the head of the state rings the bell marking the first day of the school after annual winter vacations
Wednesday, April 28
Victory over the last Communist regime by the anti-Soviets resistance known as "mujahedin". The event is celebrated by military parades and official speeches in capital Kabul and other major cities
Sunday, May 2
Peace Jirga: a traditional tribal conference known as "jirga" to be held in Kabul to discuss ways of reaching peace with the Taliban and other insurgents. The event is the biggest step in government efforts to reconcile with the Taliban
Wednesday, May 12
President Hamid Karzai is scheduled to meet President Barack Obama in the White House, after he was invited to visit Washington during Obama's surprise trip to Kabul in late March
First half of June:
Kabul Conference: a follow up to the "International Conference on Afghanistan" held in London this spring, the Kabul Conference will bring representatives of over 60 countries and organizations to discuss the future of Afghanistan including a possible handing over of security responsibilities from foreign troops to Afghan security forces
Thursday, August 19
Afghanistan Independence Day. The event, marking Afghanistan's independence from the Great Britain in 1919 is celebrated by military parades, official speeches and late night street parties in Kabul and other major cities.
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, August 10-11-12
Eidul Fitr, the biggest Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan or the holy month of fasting. Afghans wear new dresses, visit relatives and prepare special foods and sweets during the Eid festivity
Tuesday, September 21
Afghans vote in the second post-Taliban parliamentary elections. The vote originally planned for spring was delayed due to security and financial problems
Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, November 16-17-18
Eid al-Adha or festival of "Sacrifice", like Eidul Fitr is an important Islamic holiday. Rich Afghans slaughter an animals (goat, sheep, cow or camel) in line with Islamic traditions
Friday, December 17
Ashura or the aniversary of Hazart Hussain the grand son of Prophet Mohammad "martyrdom". Mostly Shiiats, Muslims in Afghanistan and across the Islamic world mourns the day with ritual flagellation by small blades attached to chains
News Alerts and Tips
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NATO air-strike kills 10 Afghan civilians: Karzai
President Hamid Karzai says NATO planes have killed 10 civilians in the province of Takhar where they were campaigning for a candidate in the nation's September 18 elelctions. Here's the translation from Dari of key parts of a statement issued from his office:
"As reported three vehicles carrying the campaign team of a Wolosi Jirga election canddiate was targeted by NATO aircrafts in two rounds as ...
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