Theme: Afghan Voices in Turmoil

While largely affected by insecurity, poverty, and the Covid-19 pandemic, Afghan youths strive to make contributions to Afghanistan and the world. TEDxDarulaman 2020, with the theme: Afghan Voices in Turmoil, is a platform and stage to showcase their endeavors in making earth a better place to live in.

Afghan-Turk Maarif International School
Taimani Square
Kabul, Kābul, 1001
Afghanistan

Abdullah Stanekzai

Professional Consultant, HRM, HRD, M&E, CB & PM.

Mr. Abdullah Stanekzai, a Master of Sciences – Leading to Ph.D (Human Resource Management) and a Master of Business Administration, is arguably the most renowned Human Resources Management specialist in the public and private spheres of Afghanistan. Mr. Stanekzai is an academic and a practitioner with various national and international institutions and development organizations, operating in Afghanistan. Mr. Stanekzai is serving leading tertiary institutions as part-time and guest lecturer on various areas of self and institutional/organizational development. He is an inspiring lecturer on human resources management, leadership, management, women empowerment, communication and interpersonal skills, organizational development and behavior and training and development. He has also served several United Nation organizations, the German Government, World Bank Group and USAID programs and projects, as a technical expert and specialist, in various project management roles.

Ahmad Shuja Jamal

Researcher

Ahmad Shuja Jamal is the head of international affairs and regional cooperation at the Office of the National Security Council (ONSC). He was previously the head of the Directorate for the Support of Peace and Reconciliation Initiatives at the ONSC, where he led the ONSC’s initiatives on peace, the release of prisoners, protection of civilians, and international sanctions on the Taliban, ISIS, and Al-Qaeda. Jamal previously served as a researcher at the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. As researcher and advocate for Human Rights Watch, Jamal investigated instances of civilian harm in the conflict, monitored the human rights situation across the country, spoke to local and international media, and conducted advocacy meetings with stakeholders in Kabul and abroad. Jamal is a Fulbright recipient and edited the Georgetown Public Policy Review. He is a member of the U.S. Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management.

Aqila Hashimi

Hiker

Aqila Hashimi is a member of Hike Ventures Afghanistan, the team that climbed MT Noshaq (7,492 m) as the first ever Afghan team to have climbed it without any foreign support. Aqila was born in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. She was still a child, when her family migrated to Pakistan. However, later on they returned to Afghanistan and Aqila studied her bachelor's degree in Polytechnic University, Kabul. Her skills led her to work with many international organizations. However, her formal job never kept her distant from her childhood passion: hiking. In this talk, Aqila elaborates on her life story and her journey to climbing Noshaq.

Obaidullah Baheer

University Lecturer

Mr. Obaidullah Baheer is a scholar of Counter Insurgency and Negotiation. He holds a post-graduate of International Relations from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. His thesis was titled "A study of the structural and ideational factors hindering negotiations with the Taliban" for which he received a distinction grade. He was among ten students shortlisted for a Dean's Excellence Award for the year. He is an upcoming poet and a philosopher at heart. He has competed and coached at the highest levels including debating at the Austral Asian Debating Championship and coaching at universities and schools around the world. Currently, he works as an Advisor to Minister on Foreign Relations, at the National Development State Owned Corporation. He is also teaching at the postgraduate level at Kardan University in Kabul and is a visiting lecturer at South Western University of Law and Politics in Chongqing, China.

Omar Sharifi

Anthropologist, University Lecturer

Omar Sharifi is the former Senior Research Fellow and Kabul Director of the American Institute of Afghanistan Studies. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Civil Society Development Center (CSDC) and member of the Board of Directors of the Afghan Alumni Association. In addition, he worked as National Consultant for UNICEF Afghanistan. He is Asia Society Fellow and member of Afghan 21 Young Leaders Forum. He is graduated from Kabul Medical Institute in 2003. Following his medical studies, he worked as Head of research and publications for the Foundation for Culture and Civil Society in Kabul, and as Director of the Open Media Fund for Afghanistan. From 2006 to 2008, he studied Cultural Anthropology at Columbia University in New York under a Fulbright Fellowship. He also received a fellowship at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University.

Sahraa Karimi

Film director & Script writer

Sahraa Karimi (born 1985) is an Afghan film director and the first female chairperson of the Afghan Film Organisation (Afghan Film). She is the first and the only woman in Afghanistan who has a PhD in cinema and filmmaking.