Afghan Academy Develops Alphabets for Three Local Languages

Despite longstanding criticism over the performance and scientific achievements of the Academy of Sciences of Afghanistan, the institution has recently announced that over the past year, it translated 18 scholarly works from foreign languages into national languages.

In its annual report presentation, the Academy stated that it had organized dozens of scientific and research programs across the country during the past year.

The Academy also revealed that it has developed writing systems (alphabets) for three local languages, Sawi, Ishkashimi, and Nuristani, and that efforts are ongoing to develop alphabets for several other languages.

Seyyed Nazim Sayedi, head of the Academy’s Center for Languages and Literature, said: “We have created alphabets for the Sawi, Ishkashimi, and Nuristani languages, and many speakers of other languages have also reached out to us. We’re working on alphabets for them too. This is a complex and sensitive task that requires the involvement of linguists, local residents, as well as both literate and illiterate community members. We plan to interview and consult them all.”

Amir Jan Saqeb, Deputy for Natural and Technical Sciences at the Academy, added: “In the past year, we organized seven major scientific and research seminars across various scientific fields. Additionally, 67 academic and research conferences were held in the areas of Islamic and human sciences, as well as natural and technical sciences.”

According to the Academy’s data, more than 200 academic articles were authored in the past year, and over 1,000 foreign terms were submitted for review and standardization. Officials stated they aim to reduce the use of foreign terminology in government institutions.

Meanwhile, the Academy’s Ethnographic Museum received visits from 400 Afghans and 75 foreign nationals over the past year—most of the foreign visitors came from the United States, Germany, France, Turkey, and Russia.

The Academy of Sciences emphasized that in the current year, it plans to implement new initiatives aimed at advancing scientific research, raising academic standards, and strengthening national languages.