Afghan Diaspora Poet and Novelist Speaks at U.S. Library of Congress, Sharing Reflections on Displacement, Resilience, and Recovery
By Staff Writer
The U.S. Library of Congress hosted Afghan diaspora poet, novelist, and journalist Lina Rozbih for a poignant literary evening on June 12, 2025, that brought personal narratives of war, exile, and recovery into the heart of one of the world’s leading cultural institutions. Part of the Library’s “Live! at the Library” series, the event drew a diverse audience of scholars, poetry enthusiasts, and members of the Afghan American community to the historic Thomas Jefferson Building to hear Rozbih’s readings and reflections.
According to the Library of Congress, Rozbih’s work “addresses contemporary life and issues of human suffering. Her poignant writings capture the tragic experiences of the Afghan people, with a particular focus on the struggles faced by women and girls.” Her presentation included recent poems widely shared across Afghanistan and its neighborhood, touching on themes of identity, spirituality, and the enduring impact of exile.
During the Q&A that followed, Rozbih spoke candidly about her own family’s flight from Afghanistan and the journey toward resettlement. Her remarks centered around three interrelated themes:
1. Humanity and compassion in the face of displacement
Rozbih offered a firm and timely reminder that displacement and forced migration are among the most urgent moral challenges of our time. Quoting the poet Rumi (Mawlānā Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī), she underscored the need to see refugees first and foremost as human beings—people shaped by hardship, but also by hope and strength. She stressed that for most displaced people, migration is not a choice but an act of survival. In that context, compassion is not a gesture of charity, but a reflection of shared responsibility.
She urged host countries and communities to build policies and practices that affirm human dignity. Rozbih also reflected on Rumi’s vision of placelessness and universal belonging. For the 13th-century poet and mystic, identity transcended geography or language. “My place is the placeless,” he wrote, expressing a sense of belonging rooted not in territory but in shared humanity and inner truth.
2. Healing and resilience after exile
Rozbih spoke movingly about the long emotional shadow that war and displacement cast on individuals and families. She described exile not as a single rupture but as an ongoing condition—marked by separation, adaptation, and often, silence. Refugees carry histories of trauma, interrupted lives, and the weight of rebuilding in unfamiliar places.
She encouraged host communities to approach newcomers with patience, not pity. Healing, she noted, is a nonlinear and deeply personal process that requires time, understanding, and safe spaces. “What most refugees need is not to be saved,” she said, “but to be seen and heard.” Responding to an attendee who mentors an Afghan family, she emphasized that small acts of empathy—listening, showing up, offering consistency—can be transformative.
Rozbih also took a moment to express her deep gratitude to the American people for welcoming refugees from all walks of life, and especially Afghans, during times of crisis. “You have opened your communities and homes to those who arrived with nothing but hope,” she said. “For many of us, the United States became not just a place of refuge, but a place to begin again. That generosity of spirit, of space, of solidarity—is not forgotten.”
3. A call to action for Afghan girls and women
Speaking directly to refugee youth in the audience, Rozbih offered heartfelt advice: to pursue education, care for their well-being, and know their worth beyond societal expectations. “You are not responsible for carrying the weight of the future alone,” she said. “You deserve joy, rest, and dignity.”
She also addressed the systemic oppression faced by women and girls under Taliban rule, describing it as gender apartheid. In an age of scientific breakthroughs and technological innovation, where girls around the world are leading research, coding artificial intelligence, and shaping the future, millions of Afghan girls are being denied basic education and confined to their homes.
Rozbih called on the international community to respond with urgency and principle. “Denying girls an education is not just a local injustice—it is a global moral failure. If we stay silent, we become complicit. We must act, advocate, and ensure Afghan women and girls are not forgotten.”
The evening also featured a curated exhibit by the Library’s Near East Section of the African and Middle Eastern Division. On display were rare Afghan manuscripts, lithographs, and historical journals in Dari-Persian and Pashto—testament to the depth and beauty of Afghanistan’s literary heritage, even amid decades of upheaval.
