17th June
Not Forgotten – A Concert in Aid of the Women of Afghanistan
‘Not Forgotten’, a concert in aid of the women of Afghanistan, takes place in Monkstown Parish Church on Saturday June 17 at 5pm. The concert will feature the Laetare Vocal Ensemble, conducted by Roisin Blunney, and others along with organist Simon Harden of Waterford Cathedral and flautist Emma Elkinson of the University of the Hague.
The concert is organised by SAFE (Support Afghan Further Education sae.ie) which has worked with women in Afghanistan for many years.
SAFE was approached by the Afghan NGO Central Afghanistan Welfare Committee (CAWC) seeking help with funding a women’s project in the rural area of Daikundi Province. The project was launched in 2019 with the help of UNICEF to train women in tailoring and embroidery. The aim of the project was that the women would eventually open a shop and sell their merchandise. The training was well under way when the political and security changes happened in Afghanistan.
CAWC is now aiming to re–establish the women’s cooperative and reorganize the 40 graduated women in the tailoring and embroidery centre. They hope to have support from UNICEF again, and have also asked SAFE to help with funds as well. When asked about the security situation in this area, the CEO of CAWC said that he feels that the rural Taliban would be sympathetic towards the project.
Tickets are available at the door on the day of the concert and cost €20 (concessions/under 16s €10).