The Aelso Academy
This is the latest program of the Afghanistan Economic and Legal Studies Organization which has 17 years experience of promoting a free society in Afghanistan. It started this summer and will work for the promotion and education of individual freedom, market economy, human rights, rule of law, peace, tolerance and other free society values by running of major projects in the country since collapse of Taliban regime. It will be the largest program they have ever run and will include:-
- 8 training sessions on human rights, personal and economic freedoms, rule of law etc in 3 major Afghan provinces.
- Capacity building training sessions for other organisations who are working to promote a free society in Afghanistan while also equipping them with the ideas of liberty, peace and toleration.
- Organising of 8 round tables/views exchange programs in 3 major provinces of Afghanistan to discuss and debate the compatibility of free society values with Islam.
- 10 Webinars in Persian language for education and promotion of libertarian ideas for people in Afghanistan, Iran & Tajikistan (Persian languages countries).
- Producing an educational videos monthly basis for the education and promotion of free society values for the Aelso YouTube channel and social media networks.
- Discussing and promoting research about free market and rule of law in Afghanistan on the Aelso Silk Road Radio Station.
Crowded hall at the AELSO and White Assembly conference in Paktia City
Women participating in the event in Paktia City
An early Academy event entitled “Conference on Peace, Tolerance & Prosperity in Islam�? was run by AELSO and the White Assembly in September in Paktia province in the east of the country which is one of the least secure provinces of Afghanistan. Until now none of the national/international organizations dared to travel and organize such academic conferences on enhancing of the knowledge of the citizens of this province.
A number of well known Islamic scholars spoke and in one session ideas from “Islamic Foundations of a Free Society�? which Aelso translated to Dari in 2018 were discussed. Copies of the book were given out as well as the CD “Ideas for a Free Society�? to those who read English. Copies in Dari have run out and will be reprinted later this year. About 150 attended the conference from neighbouring regions as well and many Paktia news agencies were there too.
Another very well attended event was run at Rana University in Kabul where some of the panels were all women. The title was Think big! Peace, Liberty and Prosperity.