Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture
The Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture (وزارت اطلاعات و فرهنگ) is a government ministry established to oversee culture, tourism, publishing affairs, and youth programs, headquartered in Kabul. The ministry claims responsibility for cultural preservation, media oversight, and youth development across Afghanistan. Prior to the Taliban’s seizure of control on August 15, 2021, the organization had been led by various ministers including Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, who served multiple terms between 2001 and 2015 and founded the Association for Peace and Democracy for Afghanistan, and Abdul Bari Jahani, a former Voice of America broadcaster who wrote the lyrics to Afghanistan’s national anthem. The ministry is currently headed by Khairullah Khairkhwa, who previously served in the same role during the Taliban’s earlier governance period from 1996 to 2001.