Interview Nineteen
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Esfandiari, Aziz
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of Afghanistan Oral Histories
unitdate: label: Date
content: July 16, 2024
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: FSA.A2024.03, File 19
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: This session focuses on the museum's role in cultural diplomacy and public engagement. Mr. Masoudi begins with the breakdown in institutions that protected the artifacts that led to looting in 1992-2002. The National Museum of Afghanistan was hit by a rocket in May 1993 and staff watched the museum burn from afar. Mr. Masoudi describes the absence of coordination between ministries; interaction between international law and Afghan law to protect antiquities; strengthening relationships with various countries, reputable museums and museum experts internationally; the museum's efforts to counter stereotypical perceptions of Afghanistan internationally; and the challenges the museum has faced due to political instability.