The year 2022 marks the centenary of the establishment of diplomatic and cultural relations between France and Afghanistan, and the creation of the French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan (DAFA).
Alongside the France-Afghanistan Centenary Committee, the BnF is fully involved in the events organised to highlight this centenary. A round table on “France-Afghanistan: literary works in perspective”, organised on 23 November in partnership with the Centre de recherches et d’études documentaires sur l’Afghanistan (CEREDAF), addressed the special relationship André Malraux and Joseph Kessel had with Afghanistan by comparing the links of Sayd Bahodin Majrouh and Atiq Rahimi with France and the French language. The BnF also devotes blog publications to exchanges between the two countries and to Afghan history and culture.
The Library is also participating in the exhibition “Afghanistan: shadows and legends”- from 26 October 2022 to 6 February 2023 at the Musée national des arts asiatiques Guimet – by lending several objects from its Department of Coins, Medals and Antiques.
Picture: ‘Ağayib al-maḫlūqāt va ġarayib al-mawğūdāṭ‛ or [‘Ağāyib-Nāma] Muḥammad b. Maḥmūd b. Aḥmad Ṭūsī Salmānī, Department of Manuscripts, Persian Supplement 332 – BnF