NATO-TV

Ahmad Sohrab Taki is a young independent Afghan photographer. He runs a Facebook page called “Taki Photos” where he uploads different scenic shots from all over Afghanistan. He feels threatened by the current security situation, particularly in Kabul, but he continues to do his best for the sake of his profession. The footage includes sound bites from an interview with Taki plus GVs of him at work.

Ahmad Shakib is a young Afghan engineer working for the Kabul Municipality. He talks about his story and how the new generation, especially youth, can change and develop the future of their country. NATOChannel sees him at work in his office and in meetings with government officials.

NATOChannel meets some of the Ukrainian media fighting back against Russia’s information war, debunking false news and images used to disinform the world about the situation in Ukraine. Soundbites from Yevhen Fedchenko and Margo Gonta, co-founders of StopFake.org, Ukraine Today Editor Peter Dickinson, Dmytro Kuleba, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Brian Bonner, Chief Editor, Kyiv Post. This version includes voiceover and graphics.

President Ashraf Ghani is proving popular with the people of Afghanistan. A recent survey by the Asia Foundation has reported that 8 out of 10 Afghans approve of his performance so far. This piece contains footage from his trip to Pakistan and his unannounced visits to institutions, including a prison and a factory. It also includes interviews with Kate Clark of the Afghan Analyst Network, President Ghani’s deputy spokesman Fayeq Wahidi, and vox pops with various citizens. Also available in high definition.

Nahed Bekeran is a beautician who lives in Kabul. She has been working on a project through the United Nations to teach women in Afghanistan about their human rights. One of the branches of the program is to change people’s perception of women cycling in the city of Kabul. She has organized a cycling group for women and girls, and they meet once a week to cycle in the city. This piece is shot in Kabul, and we see Nahed at work, and then follow the group as they cycle to Darul Aman Palace. Women were not allowed to cycle in Afghanistan during the Taliban reign, and even today it is still considered very taboo. Meet some of the young females from Kabul who are determined to change this! This version includes graphics and voiceover.

On Christmas, in 1914, in the trenches of WWI in Belgium, a moment of grace occurred when in honor of the holiday British and German forces called an impromptu ceasefire for the day. A veteran’s account mentioned a game of football between both sides, and this year, on the centennial of World War I, British and German forces face off again in another war zone: Afghanistan.

While the ceremony to transition from the end of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) into the new Resolution Support Mission takes place, questions about the specifics of the new mission remain. Major General Todd Semonite, the recently appointed commanding general of the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan (CSTC—A), bears great responsibility over the next year for the success of the new mission. He recently visited Camp Shaheen in northern Balkh province where a large portion of training and equipping of the Afghan Forces takes place. Video of the camp and Interviews with General Semonite shed light on what the new mission will be.

During the Civil War and Taliban regime, art in Afghanistan was non-existent. But thanks to the work of Turquoise Mountain, there is a new generation of young Afghan artists, like Storai and Saida, who are working hard to bring the traditional schools of craft back to Afghanistan as it moves forward.

Features interview with Storai Stanakzai and Saida Toubai, female jewellery artists working with Turquoise Mountain’s arts and crafts school. Covering footage shows the two girls working together in the metal workshop, communicating via sign language and helping each other with their designs. Storai talks about life under the Taliban, using traditional pieces as inspiration, problems girls face in Afghanistan, her artistic family and her dreams of opening a jewellery shop.

During the Civil War and Taliban regime, art in Afghanistan was non-existent. But thanks to the work of Turquoise Mountain, there is a new generation of young Afghan artists like Samira Kitman, a female calligraphy and illuminations artist, who are working hard to bring the traditional schools of craft back to Afghanistan as it moves forward.

Features interview with Samira Kitman, who has been working with Turquoise Mountain’s arts and crafts school.

Around twelve thousand foreign troops will remain in Afghanistan this year to continue to support the Afghan forces. Col John Graham, Deputy Commander of the train, advise and assist command in Kabul province (Train Advise and Assist Command-Capital), is one of the advisors in Kabul who is training both the police and the ANA. No two days are alike for Col Graham, but in this piece we get an insight into what his role as an advisor looks like in action. It includes footage of him driving in Kabul, at a checkpoint, at Kabul City Police Command Centre and at Police District One Command.