Five-day workshop launched in Kabul to standardize Pashto and Dari orthography

The Ministry of Information and Culture has launched a five-day scientific and cultural workshop in Kabul aimed at reviewing and standardizing the writing systems of Afghanistan’s Pashto and Dari languages.

The workshop is being organized by the High Council of Languages Commission under the ministry’s Deputy Ministry of Culture and Arts at the National Museum of Afghanistan.

Officials say the initiative seeks to strengthen the academic foundations of the two languages, harmonize writing practices and improve literary and cultural standards.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman Tayebi, Deputy Minister of Culture and Arts, attended the opening ceremony alongside ministry officials, representatives of the ministries of Higher Education and Education, the Academy of Sciences, Kabul University and the University of Education, as well as linguists, researchers, writers, academics and media representatives.

Hafiz Saifur Rahman Mohammadi, head of Public Culture at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said the High Council of Languages Commission was established to support the country’s languages and develop standardized writing systems for national and other languages.

Tayebi said the Islamic Emirate is committed to strengthening and developing all languages in Afghanistan, adding that there should be no discrimination based on language, ethnicity, region or religion.

During the workshop, university professors, education officials and an Academy of Sciences representative discussed differences in the current writing systems of Pashto and Dari.

Participants said the workshop will examine these differences and work toward developing standardized and harmonized orthographic guidelines for the two languages, with the aim of promoting their consistent use in academic, educational, administrative and cultural settings.