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Afghan National Dialogue

National Dialogue Consultative Meeting Held in Birmingham, UKنشست گفت‌مان ملی «ملی مرکه» در شهر بیرمنگهام برتانيا برگزار شدبرتانيې په برمينګهم ښار کې د ملي مرکې مشورتي غونډه ترسره شوه

Date: 2025-07-10Location: BIRMINGHAM

About the event

On 10 July 2025, more than 50 national, political, academic and social figures, along with leaders and representatives of Afghan community organisations from Birmingham and other UK cities, gathered for a one-day meeting of the Afghan National Dialogue (Mili Maraka) — a continuation of the London and Berlin meetings and part of a worldwide consultative process aimed at charting a roadmap for an inclusive, Afghan-led national dialogue for peace, unity and progress in Afghanistan.

The meeting opened with a recitation from the Holy Quran, after which Mr. Hanif Alkozai, on behalf of the Mehwar-e-Milli facilitation team, delivered the opening remarks, emphasising the need to build trust, convergence and a shared vision among Afghans.

Dr. Sharif Zarif then gave a comprehensive presentation on the objectives, structure and expected outcomes of the process, stressing that it must be transparent, inclusive and grounded in the real experiences of the Afghan people in order to pave the way for a just and lasting peace.

The discussions were facilitated across several sessions by Dr. Sami Jora, Mr. Farid Rahimi and Dr. Ayaz Safi, with participants insisting that the process must be people-led rather than elitist, and that all voices — especially women, youth and marginalised groups — must be heard.

Later sessions addressed the challenges and role of the Afghan diaspora, including fragmentation, declining public trust in previous processes and the need for greater cooperation, and participants focused on practical steps such as creating local committees or branches, harmonising messaging and providing neutral spaces for continued dialogue.

Dr. Khusraw Sangarwal presented a summary of the findings, noting that the Birmingham outcomes will feed into the wider National Dialogue alongside similar consultations around the world, and the meeting closed with participants endorsing the creation of a Birmingham local committee to carry the process forward.

Photos

National Dialogue Consultative Meeting Held in Birmingham, UK
National Dialogue Consultative Meeting Held in Birmingham, UK
National Dialogue Consultative Meeting Held in Birmingham, UK
National Dialogue Consultative Meeting Held in Birmingham, UK
National Dialogue Consultative Meeting Held in Birmingham, UK