An art center in Herat is providing more than 80 Afghan girls with opportunities for artistic education and creative expression.
The students say they use art to reflect the beauty of Afghanistan, promote tolerance, and spread messages of peace.
The young artists are active in fields including miniature painting, visual arts, and calligraphy, and many turned toward art after being excluded from formal education.
One student, Maryam Rasouli, said: “Through art, we promote tolerance, peace, and awareness among the younger generation.”
Another student, Maryam Mahboub, said the artists hope to introduce Afghanistan’s civilization to the world — a civilization she believes has long been forgotten.
Maria Samar Arbabzada, the head of the workshop, said 85 girls are currently enrolled and receiving training in various artistic styles, including miniature painting on wood and pottery.
One of the center’s goals is to preserve and expand the Herat school of miniature art associated with the renowned master Kamaluddin Behzad.
The students say art is more than a hobby for them; it has become a way to cope with psychological pressure, anxiety, and social isolation.
Hadia Afzali, one of the participants, said art has helped reduce stress, inspire hope, and increase awareness.
Another student, Elnaz Rahimi, described art as a source of hope under current conditions.
Several girls said that after schools were closed to them, art became the only remaining space where they could express their emotions, concerns, and aspirations.
At present, dozens of women-focused art centers and workshops remain active in Herat, with hundreds of girls participating in artistic education programs.
Cultural experts say continued support for such centers can help preserve Afghanistan’s artistic heritage while also reducing psychological and social pressures faced by girls and young women.
Analysts also note that in environments where public and educational spaces become restricted, artistic communities often evolve into alternative spaces for identity, emotional resilience, and non-political forms of social resistance.
