A painting reflecting Afghanistan’s empathy, love, cultural heritage and transformation and decorated with a poem by Rumi: “let’s not sew anything but love & friendship in this pure land," has been dedicated by the Afghan government to the United Nations during a special ceremony in New York with the participation of Afghanistan’s permanent representative to the UN Adela Raz and UN Secretary Antonio Guterres.
“I want to reassure you of our strong commitment to support Afghanistan. Our strong commitment to the people of Afghanistan. And to make sure that these trying times will lead to a new era, peace, prosperity and human rights for the people of Afghanistan that are so dear to my heart,” said António Guterres.
“This painting, of course, is very important for the UN. It represents a partnership of 75 years. A very solid partnership. Ambassador Adela Raz , you have been boosting that partnership in an extraordinary way,” added the UN Secretary General.
“Today truly concludes my work and provides the final legacy as the Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the UN. I was pleased to make Afghanistan’s official gift to the UN possible – “the Unseen Afghanistan.” It is the only gift on display and the first since 1963, when a table with lapis inlay was gifted,” Adela Raz said.
“This painting is also dedicated to all UN colleagues, national and international staff, who have tirelessly worked in Afghanistan. The girls carrying their blue UNICEF backpacks is exactly what I grew up with--our strides and determination for education with the solidarity of international community/UN,” added Raz.
The painting is 2 by 4 meters and in the foreground of the pictures there is a calligraphy of a poem by the famous Afghan poet Rumi, which reads "Lets not sew anything but love and friendship in this pure land."
One of the founders of the ArtLords, Omaid Sharifi, discussed the painting's symbolism.
"To make the painting, our team started by travelling all over Afghanistan to gain inspiration from across our diverse regions and to collect soil from all 34 provinces. that soil from all over the country makes up the background of this canvas.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Permanent Representative to the UN in a statement said:
"The Afghan government chose to ask ArtLords to create the artwork because these young men and women represent the country's new spirit. It depicts the new Afghanistan and the shared journey taken by the people and Government of Afghanistan with our international partners, particularly the United Nations. it celebrates Afghanistan's recent gains and presents a positive side of the unseen Afghanistan, often hidden from the public view. it commemorates the country's empathy, love, and rich cultural heritage and reflects Afghanistan's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals. One of the central themes of the artwork is the value of and right of education for all. the importance of partnerships and peace is another major theme."