On Thursday, October 15, 2009 AMO organized public discussion ‘Why and how does the Czech Republic assist Afghanistan?’. The discussion was held at the University Hradec Králové as the second of three discussions accompanying photographic exhibition at Czech Railway Stations called ‘Czech Assistance to Afghanistan’.
There were two panelists present at the discussion – Ms. Karla Štěpánková from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Farid Yar, fellow of the Berkat NGO. Ms. Štěpánková worked as a media expert of the civil part of the Czech-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) 2008-2009, nevertheless her stay in Lógar province was already her second visit of Afghanistan. Mr. Yar is Afghan living in the Czech Republic. Apart from his various activities, he participates in projects which facilitate Czech presence in Afghanistan (dictionary and language courses for Czech soldiers) and help Afghan people (e.g. MEDEVAC project for seriously ill children from war-stricken areas).
Both speakers talked about the projects and their personal experiences from Afghanistan through which they presented the country and the situation there to our participants (mainly secondary schools’ and university students). Opened discussion followed after the opening speeches and a short reportage of Afghan-Slovak director covering the Czech-led PRT projects and Afghan positive reaction.