Empowering Pashto Literary Arts

Our Mission (Pashto Version)

Jonaid Foundation enhances aesthetically informed, quality conscious poetry, fiction, and criticism in Pashto; promotes the values of diversity, equality, and freedom of expression; and assists in the development of a cultural environment favorable for intellectual and professional growth of young writers, especially young women writers of Afghanistan

To achieve these goals, Jonaid Foundation will engage in the following activities:

  1. Organize annual contests for Pashto poets in which winners will be selected in several categories and receive cash prizes
  2. Offer special-purpose training courses and seminars
  3. Assist emerging writers with editing and publishing
  4. Encourage translation of literary masterpieces to Pashto
  5. Issue grants to research projects in designated areas.
A man in suit and tie talking into a microphone.

Founder's Statement (Pashto Version)

It is with immense pride and a great deal of humility that we have launched this cultural and literary enterprise to enhance certain components of Pashto literature. Pashto undoubtedly enjoys considerable wealth in classical and contemporary elite literature, particularly enriched by centuries of struggle against foreign invaders and devotion to enlightenment and freedom within its complex communities. At the same time, this cultural heritage is endowed with a tremendous body of folk poetry and popular oral literature. Yet Pashto writers and artists have in large part managed to stay productive despite an unfavorable political and financial environment, not because of it. Thus, it is in jails of Moghul emperors or British India that some of our great writers have expressed their creativity. It is in burning villages and suffocating households that some of our most articulate female voices have emerged. I am indeed privileged to take a step, modest as it is, to bring more energy and dynamism to this vibrant creative treasure. I am confident that as we go along, other friends and patrons of Pashto literature will support this noble effort and participate in strengthening Jonaid Foundation, which already enjoys moral and material backing from a significant cadre of competent writers and intellectuals. May God Almighty help us succeed. 

What Our Contest Winners Say

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Amena Fana

Kabul, Afghanistan

Winning Jonaid Poetry Prize was a dream come true for me. It had immense psychological and material value for me. It assured me that my poetry is being read, critiqued, and even appreciated. This recognition encouraged me to work even harder on the artistic quality of my poetry. Financially, too the prize was helpful. As you may know, in Afghanistan, writers don’t earn anything from their writing. So with the prize money, I will publish my second poetry collection. Insha’allah!

دې جایزې ګټل زما یو خوب و چې په حقیقت بدل شو، د دې جایزې معنوي ارزښت خورا  لوړا او مهم و ماته يې دا احساس راکړ چې زه څه لیکم هغه لوستل کیږي، ارزښت ورکول کیږي قدر يې کیږي، او معنوي ګټه یې دا وه چې زه نوره هم دې ته وهڅولم چې د خپلې شاعرۍ کیفیت ته لا ډېره پاملرنه وکړم لا ډېر رياضت او ډېر لیکل وکړم. او مادي ګټه یې هم با ارزښته وه ځکه په افغانستان کې شاعر او لیکوال د خپل قلم له لارې کومه مادي ګټه نه ترلاسه کوي او زه به خپل دوهم کتاب د همدې جایزې په پیسو چاپوم ان شاءالله.

آمنه فنا د ۲۰۲۲ کال د لومړۍ جایزې ګټونکې

 

Taqwa Burhan Shakoori

Kandahar, Afghanistan

Jonaid Prize: A Message of Hope and Empowerment

In our current challenging circumstances, artists, writers, and poets often struggle to receive the recognition, encouragement, and financial support they deserve. When I first heard about the Jonaid Poetry Prize in 2023 and reviewed the list of winners, I was overjoyed to see the names of women among them. It became clear to me that this prize was not only an award, but also a beacon of hope, accompanied by valuable financial support.

When the doors to education are closed, the doors to poverty open. In such environments, where poverty reigns, academia, professionalism, art, and culture all suffer. People with limited financial means often cannot dedicate their time to pursuing art and poetry. However, initiatives like the Jonaid Prize provide not only inspiration for creativity but also hope for a brighter and more promising future.

I was particularly delighted to see that women had also won these prestigious prizes. In a society where recognition without gender discrimination is a rarity, this was truly remarkable. Some were skeptical, speculating that the prize might be given only to friends and acquaintances. I, however, was not connected to anyone involved with the Jonaid Prize committee, nor was I a known figure on social media. My poetry, with its Sufi flavor, does not typically appeal to mainstream tastes either. Nevertheless, I took a chance and participated in the contest, uncertain and hesitant.

And then I won! This victory reaffirmed the transparency and fairness of the process.

Mr. Jonaid Sharif has initiated a truly valuable endeavor for Pashto literature. Every recipient of the Jonaid Prize will forever remember the joy and pride it brings, and we will all remain grateful to Mr. Sharif for his contribution.

د جنید جایزه _ د افغانستان په سختو حالاتو کي د هڅوني، لاس‌نیوي او روحیې زیری..!

په اوسنیو سختو حالاتو کي زموږ د ټولني ادبي قشر ته ډېر کم داسي فرصتونه برابرېږي چ| روحیه ورکړي، هڅونه یې وکړي او اقتصادي مرسته ورسره وکړي. په ۲۰۲۳ کال کي مي د “جنید جایزه” نوم واورېدی، د ګټونکو نومونه مي تر پایه ولوستل او خوشحاله سوم چي ښځینه شاعراني پکښي دخیلي دي. دا یوازي یوه جایزه نه وه، بلکي د امید یو بل څراغ وو، یوه روحيه وه، او تر څنګ یوه مالي مرسته هم وه، چي زموږ د ټولني له ډېرو استعداد لرونکو، خو اقتصادي ستونزو ځپلو اديبانو سره یې مرسته وکړه.

کله چي د تعلیم دروازې تړل کېږي، د غربت دروازې پرانیستل کېږي. هلته چي غربت غالبه سي، کدرونه، هنرونه او فرهنګي فعالیتونه له منځه ځي. یو بې‌وسه انسان نه‌سي کولای چي خپل وخت هنر ته ځانګړی کړي. خو دا ډول هڅوني انسان ته بیرته ژوند بخښي، د تیارو پر وړاندي د مبارزې درس ورکوي، او د یوه روڼ سهار پر لور یې ګام پورته کولو ته هڅوي.

زه تر ټولو زیات هغه وخت خوشحاله سوم، چي ومي لیدل، ښځو هم دا جایزه ګټلې ده. زموږ په ټولنه کي ډېر کم داسي پېښیږي، چي یو څوک بې‌له جنسي توپیره وستایل سي. ځینو خلکو ویل، دا جایزه یوازي د واسطې یا شناخت له لاري ورکول کیږي. ما هم د تل په څېر خپل توکل واخیست، خپل شعرونه مي دې سیالۍ ته ولېږل، او چندان مطمینه نه وم، ځکه دا مي لومړی ځل وو، نه مي څوک پېژندل، نه چا پېژندلم، او نه مي هم د ټولنیزو رسنیو پر فعالیت ډېر وخت تېر سوی وو. زما شاعري هم داسي نه وه، چي د هر چا د ذوق مطابق وي، ممکن یوازي ملنګان او متصوفین په پوهېدای، خو هغو هم راته هیڅ نه‌ وو ویلي چي څنګه ده!

کله چي مي جایزه وګټله، پوه سوم چي دا یوه شفافه پروسه ده. که داسي نه وای، زه به هیڅکله هم ګټونکې نه وای، او نتیجه د توقع خلاف ډېره مثبته وه، په ګټونکو کي زما نوم هم وو.

دلته راځو دې ته، چي محترم جنید صاحب د اديبانو لپاره څومره ارزښتناکه هڅونه رامنځته کړې ده. دا خوښي به د هر ګټونکي او هر اديب په یاد وي، او تل به د داسي شخصیت احسانمند وي.