Upon Landing in Kabul...

After criss-crossing over one of several jagged mountain ranges surrounding Kabul, we touched down in the dusty, bustling sprawl of the capital city. Surprised to have finally landed in this far corner of the world, we gathered our things and made our way to Turquoise Mountain Foundation (TMF). TMF is a non-profit that promotes traditional Afghan artisans and historic urban preservation (www.turquoisemountain.org) and is also where we would be spending the next week and a half and hopefully collaborating with on a PeaceTones project.

Jeff and I had planned our trip so that we would arrive the day of TMF's open house, during which hundreds of local Afghans and international personnel would be perusing the grounds, looking at TMF's student work, and relaxing in the courtyard to traditional Afghan music and refreshments. Fighting sleep, we helped as much as possible without getting in the way; hanging calligraphy pieces, setting up jewelry displays, wrapping bricks in black cloth, and other various tasks. The event turned out to be a great success, or at least that what I am told, since I passed out for about three hours in the middle.

All this set the stage for a potential partnership between PeaceTones/InternetBar's work with TMF. Through several discussions with TMF staff, including Rory Stewart, the organization's founder and now the head of the Carr Center for Human Rights at the Kennedy School for Government at Harvard in Cambridge, we outlined a project promoting the online distribution and expertise of Afghan calligraphers. The business model, human resources, and capital need a look at, but the idea is welcomed by both the organization and its master calligraphers.