Hazara Afghanis in Mongolia

The Hazara people have been in Afghanistan a long time, and are there now, living through yet another war. Their troubles aren’t important to the media, but they’re real. The average American knows so little about Afghanistan even though we pump billions of dollars into war efforts there. Tons of different ethnic groups like there, or try to, and face unimaginable challenges to preserve their cultural heritage. Buddhism had a long history there until Islam shoved it aside and destroyed much evidence of its influence on the land and culture.

Eurasianet.org did a cool piece on some young Hazara who have been given the chance to study in Mongolia. Their faces are amazing! They look like their Mongolian classmates. They are considered by the Mongols as ethnic Mongolians, even if they’re having a hard time adjusting to Mongolian winters!  There’s a really well done video interview with several of the Hazara students now studying in Ulaanbaatar.

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/64351