Theatre, art & activism by young women in Kabul & Herat, Afghanistan.

Since the withdrawal of the US & the UK in August 2021, the situation for women in Afghanistan has spiralled into despair. Women do not even have rights to be violated. They have lost the ability to learn, graduate, fall in love, work, travel alone, go for a walk in the park, or ride a bicycle.

Under the Starry Afghan Sky are eleven young women aged between 15 – 23 living in Kabul & Heart, Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The collective evolved out of the work of Herat Online School founded by the Afghan educational activist Angela Ghayour and is facilitated by Rachel Karafistan of Cosmino Productions who has been working with the young women virtually from their bedrooms, since September 2022.

‘Ay Kash / ای کاش / If Only’ is a theatre, art and activism performance/exhibition featuring their artwork, films, poetry and stories, which will be shown at Oyoun in September 2023, in addition to three other venues in Berlin.

The Vernissage at OYOUN on 24 Sep will feature:

• a presentation and Q&A session by Rachel Karafistan, Cosmino Productions & Under the Starry Afghan Sky collective introducing the project
• opening of the collection of artworks created entirely by the young women over the last 12 months under Taliban rule
• soundscapes and stories written and curated by the young women available in the two OYOUN telephone booths
• DJ - music selected by Masta Sai from Kabul

Ticket: FREE ADMISSION!

Language: English & Persian
 

About the collective 

Under the Starry Afghan Sky
are eleven young women aged between 15 – 23 living in Kabul & Heart, Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The collective evolved out of the work of Herat Online School founded by the educational activist Angela Ghayour who herself fled Afghanistan in 1992 and is facilitated by Rachel Karafistan of Cosmino Productions who has been working with the young women virtually from their bedrooms, since September 2022.