The Rumi House, AIMED, and George Washington University jointly hosted the conference “From Exile to Empowerment: Unlocking Opportunities for Afghanistan’s Diasporic Community in the United States” at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., bringing together members of Afghanistan’s diaspora, U.S.-based scholars, researchers, civil society activists, students, and professionals from various fields.
Wahid Gulrani, president of AIMED and professor at George Washington University, stated that the purpose of the conference was to identify opportunities and strengths within the diaspora. He expressed hope that the event would generate meaningful outcomes for the community.
Mirwais Balkhi, president of Rumi House, emphasized the pivotal role of the Afghanistan’s diaspora, noting that this community carries a dual responsibility—both toward its homeland and its host country. He stressed that the diaspora succeeds when it contributes positively to the host society while also serving as a source of constructive engagement for Afghanistan. These two roles, he added, are not contradictory but mutually reinforcing.
Balkhi described the aim of the gathering as moving beyond merely outlining challenges and toward proposing practical solutions for empowering the our immigrant community. Drawing on the example of the migration of Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi (Rumi), he highlighted it as an inspiring model for transforming exile into empowerment. Just as Rumi’s migration led to global intellectual flourishing, he said, Afghanistan’s diaspora can also turn the hardships of displacement into opportunities for collective impact through collaboration and innovation.
Benjamin David Hopkins, Associate Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, also spoke during the opening session, underscoring the importance of the conference for the Afghan diaspora.
The second part of the program featured two panel discussions: “Challenges Facing the Diaspora in the United States” and “Solutions and Policy Approaches.”The first panel, moderated by Omar Sharifi- an author and professor and featuring Marjan Mateen, Bashir Mobasher, Maryam Rayed, and Sudaba Rahmaty, explored issues related to education, the labor market, and social and legal challenges faced by immigrants from Afghanistan in the US.
The second panel, moderated by Ceran Abi and joined by Kenne Speicher, co-founder of NOVA Friends of refugees, author and professor Amin Tarzi, Professor Wahid Naqshbandi, and Alaha Ahrar director of International Kindness Organization, focused on potential solutions and policy measures that could address these challenges.
Rumi House announced that it will prepare a detailed report of the seminar to be shared with experts and research institutions, enabling them to utilize the conference’s findings in future policy and academic work.