The Hazara-American Association, with the support of the Bamyan Foundation, organized the cultural program of the Yalda Night on December 21, 2023. Yalda night, or winter solstice, is considered the longest night of the year, and it has cultural and historical importance for Farsi-speaking people worldwide.

Yalda night, or Chelleh, in Hazaragi, has a special cultural importance for the Hazara people of Afghanistan. Throughout history, people have celebrated it in different ways according to their conditions and lifestyles, and the general practice is the same: staying up throughout the night through a range of fun and spiritual practices.

This year, the Yalda program was held in the state of Maryland. Nearly 400 people attended it.

It was organized in a friendly atmosphere, the organizers tried to design the program in a way that would bring hope and sense of belonging to all community members, especially those who have arrived in the aftermath of the US withdrawal and subsequent fall of the republic of Afghanistan to the hands of the Taliban. 

This year's Yalda night program focused on the cultural diversity of the Farsi-speaking communities. The Hazaragi music, performed by Ahmad Ghulami was an important part of the event. Additionally, we invited an Iranian musician and singer, Mr. Mahdi Asadi, who entertained the audience with traditional Iranian music on Tar and Santoor.

An important part of this cultural event was the presence of women. We, Hazaras, pride ourselves in our pluralistic culture, but women still have to fight for their rights and places in our communities. In addition to organizing and managing the various aspects of the program, our team invited a young woman to showcase her art and perform two beautiful Hazaragi dances on the stage despite her facing negative reactions from the conservative segments of the community in the past. However, the presence of this lady in this program and dance performance prompted the audience's admiration.

The strong role of women in our community events, whether political or cultural, sends a clear message to all misogynists, especially the ruling group in Afghanistan, who have completely isolated women from all parts of their social and cultural lives. Through our events and programs, we demonstrate women leadership and resourcefulness. This is a testament to their resilience despite the traumatic experience in Afghanistan, where Hazara women and girls have been systematically attacked, jailed and killed in schools, hospitals, streets and sports clubs for years because of their gender, race and religion.

Women took ownership of the Yalda program, from the design, execution, and management of the program, to dancing and reciting Hafez's poetry and fortune-telling, which is one of the main customs on this special celebration.

One small part of the Yalda night was geared towards the new generation of the Hazaras in the United States.  To be well integrated is to remember who we are as Hazaras and where we come from and what cultural and beliefs we practice. So, towards the end of the program, a segment was added to bring children on stage and induce a sense of belonging to them so they can cherish their heritage.

The message of the Yalda night was clear: we celebrate life, happiness, love, and acceptance. It should be mentioned that the good memories of this program will remain in the minds of every person who participated. Although the program was specifically organized by the Hazara community living in the DMV area, guests from other ethnic groups and folks from other US cities also participated. 

 Report submitted by the Hazara-American Association Team