Ambassador Ghafoorzai met with Mr. Amund Bjorsnes and Mr. Jens Braarvig, Executive Director and Director of the Norwegian Institute of Philology (PHI)
On 24 August 2020, Ambassador Ghafoorzai met with Mr. Amund Bjorsnes and Mr. Jens Braarvig, Executive Director and Director of the Norwegian Institute of Philology (PHI). The Norwegian Institute of Philology is leading the Language, Legacy and Landey Project, launched at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Oslo on February 8th, 2018.
Ambassador Ghafoorzai welcomed Mr. Braarvig and Mr. Bjorsnes and highlighted the importance of protecting, restoring and preserving historical and cultural traditions.
Ambassador Ghafoorzai also stressed that Afghanistan has historically been a crossroad of cultures and hub for the flow of innovative ideas in its wider region, benefiting prosperity for peoples of different countries and region. Today’s Afghanistan was gradually reasserting its historical role to that effect. He noted that reviving and preserving Afghanistan’s rich cultural heritage was being pursued as a priority by the Government of Afghanistan.
During the meeting Mr. Braarvig, highlighted various aspects of the work of the Norwegian Institute of Philology, including the conclusion of the translation of Landey poems into Norwegian. The poems are a compilation of collections by Norwegian linguist George Morgenstierne dating back to over seven decades, along with new Landey from Afghans in Norway.
Ambassador Ghafoorzai expressed his gratitude for the PHI’s work towards Afghan history and culture and readiness for a future cooperation on specific projects and initiatives, between the Embassy of Afghanistan in Oslo and the PHI. Both sides agreed on cooperation in the areas of history and culture in the way forward.