On April 24, the Cambridge Literary Festival held a special panel discussion centered around My Dear Kabul, a powerful anthology authored by a group of Afghan women in exile. The book offers deeply personal narratives and reflections from women activists about life in Kabul during and after August 2021.
The event featured Batool Haidari, one of the contributors; Negin Kargar, the book’s translator; and Lucy Hannah, its editor. Together, they discussed the process of creating the book, the significance of documenting personal testimonies of Afghan women, and the broader social and human messages the work conveys.
What captured the audience’s attention most was the unique process behind the book’s creation. The project began with women sharing their stories and experiences via WhatsApp messages in the immediate aftermath of the Taliban’s return to power. Over time, these messages evolved into a literary and documentary work.
Batool Haidari told Pol-e Sorkh that despite the pressures and limitations of exile, the women managed to turn their shared WhatsApp messages into a cohesive narrative. “The book gives voice to women whose stories have been silenced in the midst of crisis,” she said. “Through writing, they resisted. Their words speak of pain, hope, and solidarity.”
Published in 2024, My Dear Kabul has received widespread acclaim across British literary and cultural circles.
The event took place at the Old Divinity School at the University of Cambridge, offering a rare opportunity for attendees to hear directly from the authors themselves.
