Afghanistan
of Tomorrow: Realistic Prospects for a Lasting Peace
November 22 to 24,
Ottawa
,
Canada
by
Institute for Afghan Studies
in
collaboration with
South Asia
Partnership and Centre for Peace Studies,
McMaster
University
The central question for Afghans now relates to the
alternatives of government and society for a post-Taliban
Afghanistan
. What
alternatives would be supported by Afghans? Which will bring a
lasting peace and stability to
Afghanistan
? How
appropriately can the concerned international community
contribute toward desirable alternatives? These are some of the
broad questions that will be addressed at the international
conference: Afghanistan
of Tomorrow: Realistic Prospects for a Lasting Peace. The
Conference will be held in
Ottawa
,
Canada
, on
November
22 to 24, 2001
. The first two days of the
event will be open for all participants; the third, November 24,
will be reserved for intra-Afghan discussions.
The Conference will bring together Afghan community
leaders, women activists and youth from across
Canada
, as
well as some nationally and internationally recognized Afghan
scholars, tribal leaders, representatives of Afghan political
parties, and Afghan women activists from the
United
States
and
Europe
.
Representatives of the government of
Canada
and
members of the Canadian civil society and non-governmental
organizations will also participate.
The objectives of this Conference are:
- To provide an opportunity for prominent Afghan intellectuals,
leaders of different ethnic and religious groups, leaders
and representatives of Afghan political parties, Afghan
women leaders and activists and other people of influence in
Afghanistan to discuss
among themselves the current Afghan crisis and ways out
of it. And, to discuss what active roles these prominent
individuals can play in this process.
- To present to the Canadian Government (CG) (and through the CG to
the international community) (an) achievable
alternative(s) within the context of the Afghan culture
and history for governance in a post-Taliban
Afghanistan
that can secure a lasting peace and stability for the people
of the country.
- To propose to the Canadian Government (and through CG to the
international community) specific
recommendations on: How they can help the Afghan people
toward a proposed desirable end. In what specific ways can
the Canadian Government help in the reconstruction of the
civil society and of the civil government in
Afghanistan
and also in the reconstruction of that devastated country?
How can
Canada
be
in the forefront of the international community in fomenting
a dialogue between diverse Afghan groups for forming a
government that reflects the desires and wishes of the
majority of the Afghan populace?