On  May 29, 2022, Bamyan Foundation collaborated with Hazara American Association to organize the Annual Hazara Gathering in Black Hill Regional Park located in Maryland, United States. The event attracted the largest gathering of Hazaras, approximately 1300, comprising the diaspora and the recent evacuees in the United States. Some had arrived with their families from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Ohio to spend a day with their community members from District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland.

The event reinforced our sense of identity, belonging and community. It provided us comfort and happiness, particularly the recent Hazara evacuees, who had escaped persecution and discrimination in Afghanistan and found safety in America. The participants had a great time and enjoyed activities such as volleyball, tug of war, drawing, painting, music, dancing and sharing of meal together. Some found and reconnected with long lost friends, others made new ones, shared knowledge and information about life in the U.S. such as employment opportunities, banking and home ownership, their children’s education, education system in the US, and more. Through this collaboration, we have taken strides towards our collective goals of:

• Building social and emotional support network;

• Creating a sense of belonging and identity;

• Creating space for networking, and sharing of cultural and social knowledge and meaningful integration of evacuees;

• Maintaining cultural heritage which contributes towards effective adjustment of new arrivals; and

• Building strong and viable foundations for future generations of Hazara in the U.S.

Hazaras, who are one the most recent ethno-sectarian group arriving in the U.S., firmly believe that creating a strong sense of community in the United States plays a crucial role towards:

• Generating support for our marginalized and persecuted community’s survival in Afghanistan,

• Support for Hazara refugee communities scattered around the world, and

• Unifying the Hazara diasporic communities in Europe, Australia and the U.S. to create collective impact in:

  • Education and humanitarian aid in Afghanistan;

  • Supporting the Hazara refugees worldwide;

  • Develop a sense of activism to mitigate a Hazara genocide in Taliban controlled Afghanistan.   

 Bamyan Foundation provided a grant of 1,000 USD for the Annual Hazara Gathering that covered:

• Shelter: $450.00

• Banners/posters: $260.00

• Power generator: $140.00

• Purchase of misc. materials: $150.00

Partner feature:

The Hazara American Association Inc, (HAA)  is a 501C(3) non-profit organization in Washington DC area. HAA’s mission is to serve the Hazaras in the US, to preserve the Hazara culture and traditions, create strong system of support for the individuals in the community and especially to young generation. HAA organizes gathering, cultural events, aiming to bring community members together.

Hussein Mahrammi, Zareen Taj and Timor Karimy contributed to this report.