The Lovers: Afghanistan's Romeo and Juliet

Despite over a decade of American intervention, attempting to instill democratic and Western values in the country of Afghanistan, tensions between ethnic groups continue to plague the Afghan people and women continue to be submitted to some of the harshest treatment in the world. Exemplifying both of these issues, grounded mutually in culture and religion, is the true story of the lovers Zakia and Ali. Belonging to different tribes, Zakia and Ali had to defy both their families and Afghan civil and Islamic law in order to be together, however, not without the threat from Zakia's family, that they would kill her in order to restore the family's honor.


Rod Nordland, former Kabul bureau chief of the New York Times, brings us this story which does for women's rights what Malala's story did for women's education. Rod comes to the Council to describe the crossroads Afghanistan now faces, a place where fundamentalist Islamic culture continues to reign while dealing with Western influence. How will these opposing forces shape the country and its human right's policies for the future?

Trudy Rubin, Worldview columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, will sit in discussion with Mr. Nordland.

Read More

View Less