Welcome to the official website of the Ahmad Shah Massoud Library Association!
It is the sole purpose of our non-profit organisation to raise funds for and subsequently manage the Ahmad Shah Massoud Library & Culture Centres to be established in all major cities of Afghanistan. This institution is not about Massoud himself but about furthering his values of education, reading and cultural appreciation by, from and for both genders in Afghanistan as well as gender equality.
Ahmad Shah Massoud, the most prominent leader of the Afghan Mujahedin since the 1980s, has been dubbed the Lion of Panjshir and has been considered a guerrilla genius for his successful tactics which were instrumental at expelling the Soviets out of Afghanistan by the late 1980s. After their withdrawal and the ensuing civil war among the Mujahedin factions, Massoud maintained the last stronghold in the country against the advancing radical Taliban who had taken over the capital Kabul in 1996 and had taken over 90% of the country by 2001. "There was something about his face, the look in his eyes, his smile, the way he spoke, that made it clear we were in the presence of a very great man." Sebastian Junger, book author and journalist, 2000 |
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There was, however, the other side of this great leader. Beyond his seemingly never ending struggle he was an educated person and gifted architect. He loved poetry, literature and knowledge in general. He was an aesthetic and humane person who cared deeply about the Afghan people. In his house in the village of Jangalak in the Panjshir Valley some two hours north of Kabul, he wanted to have his own library where he wanted to enjoy his large collection of books when peace came to Afghanistan. His dream, however, never came to pass as he was assassinated on September 9th, 2001 - a precursor to the 9/11 attacks on New York City. The Ahmad Shah Massoud Library Association wants to build a true memorial to this great man by carrying forward his thinking and values to subsequent generations of Afghans.
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