Virtual Museum of Afghan Civilisation on the anvil

Oct 6, 2009 (Pajhwok): A virtual museum reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Afghanistan is on the anvil, courtesy of the world-renowned French-Hungarian artist Yona Friedman. He will present his design for the new virtual Museum of Afghan Civilization on October 15th at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York .

A global showcase is also planned, celebrating the ancient culture of Afghanistan at Afghanculturemuseum.org, which will be the world's first online museum dedicated to all cultures that have flourished in Afghanistan . Likely to become live in early 2010, it is the brainchild of a Paris-based independent association Afghanculture, which believes the Afghan people deserve a state-of-the-art institution to preserve their history and civilization. When complete, it will feature a wealth of information, contextualized in four languages (Dari, Pashto, English and French), about a wide range of cultural artifacts, from photos and etchings to art forms such as music, dance, poetry and literature. The museum will not only feature existing works of art, but also include many that have unfortunately been destroyed or been lost during Afghanistan ’s tumultuous history. Within this virtual structure, a team of leading experts will assemble, explain and highlight a dazzling, encyclopedic display of 5,000 years of cultural treasures. Now literally scattered across the globe, these treasures will be brought together for the first time to celebrate the enduring heritage of the Afghan people.