"Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum" is an extraordinary exhibition of objects from the National Museum in Kabul. Over 200 artifacts on display, from four different sites along the ancient trade route, the Silk Road, were long thought to be stolen or destroyed during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979-90) or the civil war and Taliban rule that followed. Traveling to the United States for the first time, they not only give us a glimpse of Afghanistan's ancient past but tell their own story of redemption and dedication to preserving the past against all odds.

Nadia Tarzi gives a unique perspective on the objects in the collection. She explains the original excavation and re-discovery of the artifacts and the harrowing stories of their rescue, while discussing the issues surrounding cultural heritage preservation during wartime and the importance of this heritage in shaping the national identity of Afghanistan.

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Nadia Tarzi is founder of the Association for the Protection of Afghan Archaeology, in San Rafael, CA, and a strong advocate of cultural preservation and education in Afghanistan. A nonprofit organization that promotes public awareness of Afghan archaeology around the world, the APAA provides opportunities and funding to restore and conserve Afghanistan’s vulnerable cultural heritage. Born in Strasbourg, France, the daughter of renowned Afghan archaeologist Dr. Zemaryalai Tarzi, who is Director for the Bamiyan Archaeological Mission and president of APAA, Nadia has spoken at academic conferences devoted to Afghan archaeology and cultural heritage. She was featured in the National Geographic documentary “The Lost Treasures of Afghanistan” in 2006 with her father, who recently discovered a 19-meter “Sleeping Buddha” in Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Valley. On November 13-15, Nadia will accompany her father, who will join a panel of cultural heritage experts at the “Recovering Afghanistan’s Past: Cultural Heritage in Context” conference, which is cosponsored by APAA.