Afghan cultural associations abroad create 'bridges' to preserve language, arts and identity after 2021 exodus
After the collapse of Afghanistan’s republic in August 2021, Afghan writers, poets and artists dispersed across Europe, North America and Australia have established new cultural associations to sustain their literary and artistic traditions. Groups such as Narenj in the Netherlands, Pul in Germany and the Afghan-Canada Council in Toronto hold festivals, translation projects and youth programmes despite financial and logistical challenges, relying heavily on social media and online events to connect diasporic communities.
By Blake Marriott
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Since the fall of the Afghan republic in August 2021, thousands of Afghans have resettled across the globe. Among them are writers, poets, artists, journalists and researchers who say they are determined to preserve and promote Afghan language, literature and cultural practices from exile. New cultural associations formed by these migrants are attempting to fill institutional voids and to provide communal spaces where creative expression and cultural education can continue.
In the Netherlands, writer and poet Nooragha Noorani, who participated in the Jalalkot literary movement in Nangarhar before leaving Afghanistan, says he set up a cultural association after arriving in Europe because no suitable cultural “address” existed. He told Radio Azadi: «از زمانی که به اروپا، بهویژه هالند مهاجر شدم، بسیار در جستجوی یک آدرس فرهنگی بودم، تا بتوانم علاقهمندی خود را در آن دنبال کنم.» Noorani founded the association called Narenj (نارنج) and, he says, the group’s opening ceremony drew participants not only from the Netherlands but also from neighbouring countries. Narenj has organised regular literary and artistic programmes, including annual poetry gatherings (مشاعره) and a traditional festival called Gol-e Narenj.
Noorani acknowledged the difficulties that confront grassroots cultural work in exile: limited finances, the absence of permanent venues, and members’ competing responsibilities. Nonetheless, he and fellow organisers say the persistence of these activities demonstrates a broad commitment among Afghan cultural figures to safeguarding their heritage and creative practices in difficult circumstances.
Similar initiatives have appeared elsewhere in Europe. In Berlin, a group of Afghan cultural figures created an association named Pul (پُل) with an explicit mission to act as a bridge between Afghan culture and other societies. Alamgul Sahar, a writer and poet who leads the organisation, described its aims: «انجمن فرهنگی پُل دو سال پیش در برلین، جرمنی ایجاد شد. طبعاً فعالیتهای آن تنها فرهنگی است. همانگونه که از نام آن پیداست، پُل تلاش میکند میان فرهنگها و جوامع مختلف نقش یک پل را ایفا کند. برای نمونه، کوشش میکنیم کتابهای افغانستان به زبان آلمانی و دیگر زبانهای بینالمللی ترجمه شوند و همچنان آثار از زبانهای دیگر به پشتو و دری برگردانده شوند.» Pul has prioritised translation projects to make Afghan literature accessible in German and other languages while also bringing international works into Pashto and Dari. Leaders of Pul say the association also focuses on keeping younger Afghan migrants connected to language, literature and cultural identity.
North American Afghan communities have likewise institutionalised cultural programming. In Canada, Abdulkhaliq Ayubi, head of the Afghan-Canada Council (شورای افغان-کانادا), which was established in December 2025, emphasised the cultural component of the council’s activities. He told Radio Azadi: «برنامههای ادبی و هنری نیز جایگاه ویژهای در برنامههای کاری ما دارد. این برنامهها را برگزار کردهایم؛ از جمله محفلهای عید را برگزار کردیم و همچنان به مناسبت سالروز بازپسگیری استقلال، برنامهای را در تورنتو برگزار کرده بودیم.» The council has organised Eid gatherings and events marking Afghanistan’s independence day in Toronto, among other cultural initiatives.
Organisers say that financial constraints and the day-to-day pressures of life in exile make sustaining programming difficult, but many have adapted by using social media and online meeting platforms. These tools have enabled transnational participation, allowing cultural actors from different countries to take part in readings, discussions and festivals without being physically present. Organisers argue this virtual reach has broadened opportunities for exchange and collaboration across the Afghan diaspora.
Participants and organisers frame their work as more than nostalgia; they view cultural activity as central to community cohesion and the survival of a people’s collective memory under displacement. By promoting translation, youth engagement and cross-border collaboration, these associations aim to keep Afghan languages, literature and artistic traditions visible and viable—both for displaced Afghans and for wider international audiences. As long as exile continues for many Afghans, cultural associations say their work will remain a priority, even as they seek more stable funding and venues to expand programming.
