A Message from the Chair of The EDEN Seminars

Dear Friends of EDEN,

Through the AFLP Botanical Gardens Network initiative (https://aflp.unitar.org) some of you have reached out to us, to express solidarity for Afghanistan, and ask about our initiative partners there. Our heartfelt thanks.

 It has been a difficult time, and challenges abound. We are in touch with many though not all core members. Most are thankfully safe for now — a few have left, some have stayed but hope to leave, and some will stay and hope to continue the work. We realize there are no easy solutions for any of them — it will be challenging for those who stay, and challenging for those who leave. And a tremendous brain drain and loss for Afghanistan, and for us all, either way.

The priority at this moment is to continue supporting members of the initiative as best we can. A botanical garden is an endeavor of decades, and we shall do all possible to stay the course. Our US partners in this campaign, led by Dr. Ari Novy of San Diego Botanic Garden and Prof Peter Raven of the Missouri Botanic Garden, have rallied a coalition of some 30 botanical gardens in the United States, that have offered to provide a safe haven to Afghan peers, scholars and academics. We will give you updates as the plans evolve.

The article below, written by members of the Hiroshima Afghan Fellowship, maybe distills the agonies and hopes of the many young educated Afghans we have been working with.

 An appeal for the Afghans we know and love | Hiroshima Peace Media Center

親愛なるアフガニスタンの人々のための訴え | ヒロシマ平和メディアセンター (hiroshimapeacemedia.jp)

 Please do not hesitate to reach out for any questions or ideas.

 With prayers for peace in Afghanistan.

 Nassrine Azimi, Chair