A Night with Buddha
A Night with Buddha was founded in 2013 by Monirah Hashemi and Maryam Sharifi in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, as a tribute to resilience and remembrance. The festival began as a commemoration of the destruction of the iconic Bamiyan Buddha statues by the Taliban in March 2001—a deliberate act of cultural genocide that symbolized the erasure of heritage and identity.
March 11, 2001, marks a profound loss—not just of monumental artifacts but of a people’s history and cultural soul. The towering statues, which once stood as beacons of the Hazara people's rich heritage, were obliterated alongside countless lives, an act witnessed by the world in shock and silence.
In its first edition, A Night with Buddha brought together artists, filmmakers, photographers, musicians, writers, and poets to transform grief into expression and to reclaim the narrative of cultural resistance. Over the years, the festival became a vital platform for art and dialogue, a celebration of creativity in the face of adversity.
Since the Taliban's return to power on August 15, 2021, Afghanistan has been plunged into deeper repression, with women bearing the brunt of a gender apartheid that strips them of education, public participation, and basic freedoms. Now in exile, A Night with Buddha transcends borders and boundaries, creating a space for silenced voices and a stage for resistance. Through art, storytelling, and collective memory, it continues to fight for the preservation of culture and the enduring spirit of the Afghan people.
