The Story of an Afghan Family: Survival in a Country Crippled by Civil War

Qais Akbar Omar
Author of A Fort of Nine Towers and Goodwill Envoy for the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women
Qais Akbar Omar is the author of the internationally acclaimed memoir, A Fort of Nine Towers, which tells the harrowing tale of his family’s struggle to escape Afghanistan during the civil war that erupted in his country following the Soviet Army’s withdrawal. Driven from their home in Kabul with the arrival of the Mujahedeen, the family finds refuge in a century-old fort called Qala-e-Noborja – a fort of nine towers. Forced to flee the sanctuary of the fort as fighting between the Mujahedeen and the Taliban intensifies, Omar’s family embarks on a cross-country trek, searching for respite from the widening civil war, and desperate to find a way out of Afghanistan.
Join the Council for a Breakfast Briefing with Mr. Omar. He will share personal insights and reflect on his family’s remarkable story of survival and their long journey through terror, loss, heartbreak, and fleeting moments of joy.
Registration
WAC members: $25 | Non-members: $50
Registration is required. Please advise in advance of any dietary restrictions. No-shows and cancellations after January 19, 2015 will be charged.
Questions?