Ottawa- September 01, 2020
Ottawa- August 20, 2020
Excerpts from the letter by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, the Governor General of Canada addressed to His Excellency Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on the occasion of 101st anniversary of the restoration of Afghanistan’s independence.
“On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to congratulate you and the people of Afghanistan on the occasion of your country’s independence day.”
“This year, we recognize the exceptional challenges that Afghanistan is facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued conflict.”
“Canada cherishes its strong relationship with Afghanistan. We remain firmly engaged with Afghanistan on issues that affect the lives of everyday people, including health and education, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, as well as peace and security for all Afghan citizens. “
“This celebration provides an opportunity to reflect on past accomplishments and on the future of your country, one in which the hard-fought gains over the past 19 years are preserved and the rights of all Afghans are protected. Canada remains steadfast in its support for a sustainable and inclusive peace in Afghanistan. “
Ottawa- August 19, 2020
Ambassador Hassan Soroosh spoke at a virtual program hosted by the Toronto-based Afghan Network for Social Services on the occasion of 101st anniversary of the restoration of Afghanistan’s independence.
Other speakers included the Honorable Rob Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada as well as a number of Afghan scholars from Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia.
Ottawa- August 18, 2020
The Embassy of Afghanistan in Ottawa hosted a virtual program with the Afghan-Canadian community this afternoon to celebrate the 101st anniversary of the restoration of Afghanistan’s independence.
Ambassador Hassan Soroosh delivered the opening remarks followed by remarks by Mr. Nasim Sharifi, the newly appointed Consul General of Afghanistan in Toronto. A number of scholars, experts, entrepreneurs and civil society activists from the Afghan-Canadian community from across Canada spoke about various aspects of bilateral cooperation, their ongoing programs as well as future joint activities with the embassy and consulates in Toronto and Vancouver. The program also included brief remarks and performance by the renowned Ustad Eltaf Hussain Sarahang.
The program was moderated by Mr. Sayed Mujtaba Ahmadi, Deputy Chief of Mission. Other colleagues from the embassy and consulates in Toronto and Vancouver were also present in the program.
Please visit our website for a more detailed report on the program at a later stage.
Ottawa- Agust 18, 2020
Ambassador Hassan Soroosh, along with the family and embassy staff, raised the national flag at the Ottawa city hall this morning, honoring the 101st anniversary of the restoration of Afghanistan’s independence.
Ottawa- Agust 18, 2020
Read the message by Ambassador Hassan Soroosh on the 101st Anniversary of the Restoration of Afghanistan’s Independence:
“Today, our fellow Afghans across the world including Afghan-Canadian community celebrate the 101st anniversary of the restoration of Afghanistan’s independence.
On behalf of my family, embassy staff and myself, I extend my best wishes to all who celebrate this auspicious occasion.
Our people’s love for independence and freedom and their resilience in the face of countless challenges and hardships has been a hallmark of our long and rich history.
The history has also been a testament to our people’s love for friendship and partnership with the wider world. As the crossroads of civilizations and an important hub in the ancient Silk Road, Afghanistan has historically made significant contributions to the expansion of trade, and promotion of art, culture and knowledge at a global level.
The past 19 years have been marked by a common journey between Afghanistan and the international community which can be exemplified by a growing partnership and multifaceted bilateral cooperation between Afghanistan and Canada based on shared priorities and values including peace, democracy, human rights, education and women’s empowerment.
We remain grateful for Canada’s continued support to Afghanistan including to the ongoing COVID-19 response efforts in the country. We pay tribute to all those courageous men and women from Canada who made the ultimate sacrifice alongside our security and defence forces to preserve our shared principles and values.
I also wish to thank the Afghan-Canadian community as well as friends of Afghanistan in Canada for their continued commitment and engagement towards expanding bilateral cooperation and deepening people-to-people contacts.
Our collective efforts and sacrifices in Afghanistan have culminated in considerable improvement in major areas including democratic process, economic growth, infrastructure development, education, health, access to justice, human capital development and women’s empowerment.
Afghanistan is now an active member of the international community and remains actively involved in many regional and international platforms, playing an important role in promoting multilateralism and global shared values.
Building on the vision for a new and progressive Afghanistan set forth following the restoration of Afghanistan’s independence in 1919 and pursued in the ensuing decades including in the past 19 years , our vision for the future is to build “a sovereign, unified, democratic Afghanistan at peace with itself, the region and the world, capable of preserving and expanding the gains of the past two decades”. A country that would serve as a regional and continental hub for trade and transit and an important driver of economic growth, development and stability in the wider region and beyond.
As the Afghan peace process is reaching an important phase, preservation of the gains of the past 19 years and consolidation of the ongoing collective efforts through a long-term partnership between Afghanistan and our international partners including Canada remain crucial in achieving this noble vision.”
