RASC News Agency: A two-day book fair was inaugurated in Herat Province to celebrate “Mother’s Day” and honor mothers, organized by a young woman. Fatima Mehmandust, the organizer of the fair, emphasized the significant impact such events have on the mental well-being of girls. She expressed her delight in organizing the book fair in honor of Mother’s Day, aiming to encourage and promote the culture of reading.
“Our society needs to cultivate a culture of reading, and organizing book clubs and fairs like this one is essential to directing people, especially women, towards reading,” she stated. Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, schools and, shortly thereafter, universities have been closed to girls and women, preventing them from pursuing education. Moreover, women have been barred from working, making their circumstances increasingly challenging. Despite these difficulties, a young woman in Herat has organized this book fair, which many have described as “remarkable,” beautiful, and constructive.
Visitors to the fair have called on authorities to strengthen the culture of reading among the youth. The fair features over 700 books in various genres. It is worth noting that in recent months, girls have organized book fairs in Faizabad-Badakhshan and earlier in Takhar.
Following the Taliban’s takeover, girls have strived to maintain their motivation to read and learn. To this end, they continue to organize book fairs to encourage reading.
Meanwhile, social and cultural activists report that in the past two years, the Taliban have banned numerous books and shut down many publications. However, they have organized several fairs promoting religious books aligned with their beliefs.
