On 6 September International Literacy Day was acknowledged and celebrated in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is considered to have amongst the lowest literacy rates in the world. Four decades of instability and poverty have taken a huge toll on the country's education system and have deprived millions of Afghans, especially women and girls, of literacy, adult learning and education opportunities.

From July 3 to 5, the UNESCO Kabul Office organised a workshop to discuss the role of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Traditional Knowledge in water management in Afghanistan, inviting participants from FAO, WFP, UNDP, IOM, UNHCR, ActionAid, and HAFO.

On June 26, the UNESCO Kabul Office initiated a discussion on how to better integrate the notions of Triple Nexus and Conflict Sensitivity into its programmes and activities, working in an intersectoral way to promote the organisation’s comparative advantages.

Between February and March 2022, UNESCO supported the emergency clearing of the riverbeds of the Jam and Hari Rivers along the side of the Minaret of Jam World Heritage property in Afghanistan, to prevent the impact of seasonal flash floods.

UNESCO calls on young women and men under the age of 35 to apply for the 2022 Silk Roads Youth Research Grant. The grant aims to mobilize young researchers for further study of the Silk Roads shared heritage. Twelve grants of USD10,000 will be awarded per research project.  The deadline to apply for the Silk Roads Youth Research Grant has been extended to 12 June 2022. The research needs to address specific issues relating to:  the shared heritage and plural identities developed along the Silk Roads,  its internal diversity,  its potential in contemporary societies for creativity, intercultural dialogue, social cohesion, regional and international cooperation, and  ultimately sustainable peace and development.  The UNESCO Silk Roads Youth Research Grant was first launched in 2021 and is organized within the UNESCO Silk Roads Programme with the support of the National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO, in the context of UNESCO Social and Human Sciences Programme.     Who is eligible to apply for the grant?  Postgraduate researchers, aged 35 and younger at the time of application, are eligible to apply for the grant. The proposed research may be carried out by an individual researcher or may be part of the research of a group or collaborative project.    What fields of research on the Silk Roads are eligible?  A broad array of research fields, including multidisciplinary and multidimensional proposals not limited to one specific region or chronology, are eligible. Proposed research may cover one or several themes associated with the Silk Roads shared heritage including, but not limited to:  Science, Technology and Traditional Knowhow   Religion and Spirituality  Language and Literature  Arts and Music  Traditional Sports and Games  Economy and Trade  The Legacy of the Silk Roads and Contemporary Issues    How to submit your research proposal?  Applicants are required to submit their research proposals by downloading and completing the template provided detailing their research project, its methods, expected outcomes and contribution to existing scholarship.  Proposals should be submitted in English and sent to: silkroadsgrant@unesco.org  When is the deadline?  The deadline for submitting proposals is extended until 12 June 2022.  The submitted research proposals will be evaluated by a scientific panel comprised of renowned international academics.  The list of grant awardees will be announced at the end of September 2022.    Applicant Guidelines  A comprehensive guide to the grant, including details on applicant eligibility criteria, suitable research topics, and evaluation process, is available here:  Applicant Guidelines