ROOTS OF PEACE HONORED ON “NOWRUZ”
AFGHAN NEW YEAR AT BAGRAM AFB

General David Petraeus and General John Campbell
Honor Efforts of NGO Planting Peace

March 24, 2011—Bagram AFB, Afghanistan—Roots of Peace, a U.S. based non-profit organization, was honored today at the Nowruz Dinner celebrating the Afghan New Year.

General David Petraeus, US Commander of International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan, General John Campbell, Commander of the 101st Airborne, 12 Afghan Provincial Governors, and hundreds of ISAF forces gathered in the Afghan tradition of new hope in a Spring initiative to plant sustainable agricultural crops in an effort to make Afghanistan green once again.

Roots of Peace was commended in the Opening Remarks by Major General John F. Campbell, Commander of the 101st Airborne Division, for their efforts throughout Afghanistan when he said, “Roots of Peace works to unearth dangerous land-mines in war torn countries, and empowers the local communities scarred by these inhuman weapons—working to develop sustainable crops on land once too dangerous to traverse is how her organization transforms the scars of conflict into the roots of peace. Through her own efforts, and Roots of Peace, Heidi Kühn has done much to help the Afghan people. As part of the celebration for Nowruz, the organization is planting 30,000 trees. In addition, and in cooperation with the DOD, we will plant 15,000 Japanese Cherry Trees in Kabul.”

Heidi Kühn, CEO of Roots of Peace, was the guest of honor at the head table with both US Generals as well as the Afghan Governors while she shared her personal stories of employing over 500 Afghans to help restore the legacy of Afghanistan as “The Garden of Central Asia.” Roots of Peace has planted over 2,400,000 high value fruit trees and directly trained over 60,000 Afghan farmers to grow alternative agricultural crops instead of poppies. In many cases this switch has doubled or even tripled the income of Afghan farmers as well as created export markets in neighboring countries.

Roots of Peace also announced their efforts to donate 1000 cherry trees to be planted beneath the Giant Buddha Statues that once stood in Bamyan. This site is sacred in the Japanese culture which celebrates the annual Cherry Blossom Festival each Spring. A delegation of Japanese agricultural specialists will arrive in Kabul from Tokyo to provide the cherry tree saplings—a tribute to the tenacious Japanese spirit that has endured after the severe natural disasters of March 2011.

“May these 1000 cherry trees symbolize the 1000 cranes of origami to bring forth hope and firmly plant peace on the soils of Bamyan. The traditional Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival coincides with Nowruz, which shows the seeds of hope shared in common as we strive to heal the wounds of war and natural disasters in all cultures during this extraordinary Spring of 2011. These blossoms will bring hope for future generations of Afghans,” stated Heidi Kühn.

Roots of Peace is an international organization dedicated to the eradication of landmines, replanting of crops, and rebuilding of communities in war-torn regions of the world. For more information, visit www.rootsofpeace.org.

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General David H. Petraeus, Maj. Gen John F. Campbell, and the Afghan Provincial Governor,
Nowruz dinner event, Bagram AFB, March 2011

Bagram AFB is home to an estimated 30,000 soldiers

U.S. General Petraeus, Major General Campbell, and Afghan Governors honor Roots of Peace for their efforts in helping the people of Afghanistan. Roots of Peace has donated 1,000 cherry trees to be planted in Kabul, in honor of the Japanese people—a tribute to the tenacious Japanese spirit that has endured after the severe natural disasters of March 2011.

Afghan school girls assist with tree planting

Nowruz is the traditional Afghan New Year celebrating 1390. Planting a tree is an effort to make Afghanistan “green” and provide “hope.”

Over 80% of the country is dependent upon Agriculture, and peace begins from “the ground up.”

Afghan Children typically return to their first day of school on Nowruz, after the long harsh winter months. Roots of Peace has built/rebuilt several schools and soccer fields in Afghanistan—raising over 50 million American “pennies for peace.”

Heidi Kühn meets with students of Mir Botcha Kot School, March 2011

Bagram AFB hosted a special Nowruz Dinner on March 24, 2011, to honor the District Governors who have worked with Roots of Peace to nurture the vine—bringing hope and prosperity to Afghan farmers and families.

General David H. Petraeus, Maj. Gen John F. Campbell, Afghan Provincial Governor, and Heidi Kühn,
Nowruz Dinner, Bagram AFB, March 2011

U.S. and Afghan Officials at the Nowruz Ceremony

Roots of Peace donated over 1000 cherry trees to Bamyan, where the Giant Buddhas once stood. In tribute to the Japanese culture where 1000 cranes of origami bring forth “hope,” we trust that these 1000 cherry trees will produce blossoms for future generations…

Where a Buddha statue once stood

Japanese Ambassador to Afghanistan, the Honorable Mr. Takahasi, graciously hosted Roots of Peace at his private residence.

Heidi Kühn, His Excellency Japanese Ambassador to Afghanistan Reiichiro Takahashi,
Sharif Osmani, Roots of Peace Country Director-Afghanistan