51st Jeshn (Zahir Shah era)
Duration: 00:09:51; Aspect Ratio: 1.366:1; Hue: 60.000; Saturation: 0.002; Lightness: 0.387; Volume: 0.147; Cuts per Minute: 26.693; Words per Minute: 125.651
Summary: Date (Afghan Calendar): 1350
Shows the celebrations around the 51st independence day (jeshn) during the reign of Zahir Shah, including a military parade, art exhibition, and performances at Kabul Nandare.
Footage Source: Afghan Films 35mm positive,
Original Reel No.: positive reel #24
Translated by Rajni Prakash.
Afghan Film Presents
Incidents and Developments
His Highness the King, on the first day of Sunbulah (23rd August), came to Chaman-e-hozoori in order to inaugurate the celebrations of the 51st anniversary of the independence of the country. His Highness the King accepted official greetings of the royal units of the army in the Chaman-e-hozoori area, and met with His Highness Marshal Shah Wali Khan Ghazi, conqueror of Kabul.
His Highness the King inaugurated the ceremony with his valuable statements on the great responsibilities of today and future generations in the elevation of the country in the light of freedom.
The royal army's marchpast started with the march of the commander of the Central Garrison, Colonel Chief of Army Staff, His Excellency Sardar Abdul Wali from the area in front of the royal stand.
His Highness the King and queen and the royal family are present in the stand and the helicopters distribute freedom slogans. The strong and well-equipped army of Afghanistan guarantees protection to Afghanistan and the safeguarding of its freedom, which has been achieved and maintained by the efforts of our victorious ancestors. In the picture, you can see the fortune-teller and the astronaut of the Soviet Union who were invited to our country. Units of Mechanized division, equipped with modern warfare, pass by the royal stand and pay tributes to our King and the protector of the independence of our country. The cavalry unit of the Royal Army marched past the stand bowing in respect and generated excitement in the crowd. The most recent models of jet fighters portray the well-equipped nature of the royal air force in these celebrations.
Afghanistan is one of the peace loving countries of the world but it has not forgotten its great responsibility towards preserving the integrity of the country and having a strong and ready army. It is prepared to defend the freedom of this pure and sacred land.
Kabul Stadium
On the evening of the first of Sunbulah (23rd August), the artists of the neighboring countries performed in Kabul Nindareh (Stadium) in presence of Prince Ahmad Shah and Princess Maryam. Mr. Noor Ahmed Etemadi, the Prime Minister, and Amir Malik Etemadi and some of high level officials of the country attended the performances.
The group of artists from the Soviet Union which consisted of skilled tight rope walkers participated in our freedom celebrations and entertained the audience with their acrobatic and other artistic performances. And this is the first performance of the night which was presented to his Excellency Afkham and respected invitees.
His Excellency prince Ahmad Shah received the heads and the members of the foreign artistic groups in the box of Kabul Nindareh.
TV_AF
On the second day of the Jeshn of 1971, after a speech by Dr. Noor Ali - Minister of Commerce, Shahzada Ahmad Shah inaugurated an exhibition of the collection of the Ministry of Culture. The Prince and Noor Ahmad Etemadi the Prime Minister, and the rest of the visitors, visited the all the chambers of this exhibition.
Factories and the Afghan garment industry put the best produce of the country on display in their stalls, which were very promising. The carpet industry of Afghanistan is not only famous within Afghanistan, but also in countries all around the world, which has given it considerable importance.
With their overwhelming emotion for the king, on second of Sunbulah (24th August), students, athletes from schools and university students paid tribute to his Highness the King and her Highness the Queen in Ghazi Stadium. While shouting slogans of "long live the King", "long live Afghanistan" and "long live independence of our country", they passed by the royal stand in their well organized rows and waved their sportive flags to show their sentiments for their King and their country.
Along with his and her Highnesses, princes and princesses and some of the other members of the royal family were present in the stand. The music band from the opera and the acrobatic groups marched past the stand performing their acrobatic programs; this reflects upon the progress of sports in the country.
The view of lights on the celebration nights has its own charm. People of the capital and provinces witnessed an interesting spectacle of fireworks on the third night of the celebrations of Independence Day on the Chaman-e-hozoori.
In the Pashtoonistan square where this historical day is inaugurated with the raising of the flag of Pashtoonistan, this year we witnessed a grand, great celebration, above which the flag of Pashtoonistan is raised.
AF_TV
His Highness the prince Ahmad Shah and some of the royal family members such as the respected Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Head of the Assembly of Elders, and some highranking officers participated in this program. Mr. Noorestani, the mayor of Kabul city, in his speech emphasized on the issue of ascertaining the destiny of people of that region in determination of their future, and voiced the emotions of the nation towards their Pashtoonistani brothers. In the same ceremony, the flag of Pashtoonistan was raised amid the throwing of rose petals.
Allah o Akbar (God is Great)
A big crowd including the people of the capital and the Pashtoonistani people residing in Kabul accompanied the car of Khan Abdul Ghafar Khan, Khan Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai, Khan Mahmood Khan Achakzai, shouting slogans of "long live Pashtoonistan" and "long live friendship of Afghanistan and Pashtoonistan", marched towards Ghazi Stadium.
Khan Abdul Ghafar Khan, the spiritual leader of Pashtoonistan, in his speech in Ghazi Stadium, reviewed the history of the struggle of the Pashtoonistan people for the freedom and emphasized on the importance of the continuation of the struggle of Pashtoonistan people for their freedom.
Intercontinental hotel, one of the luxurious hotels of the capital, was inaugurated by Mr. Noor Ahmad Etemadi, the Prime Minister, on 18th Sunbulah (9th September). This hotel with all requirements needed for a guesthouse with, proper servicing and best conditions provides services to the guests and fulfils the tradition of extending utmost respect towards its guests!
Opening grand and beautiful hotels plays an important role in the attracing more tourists to a country. In Afghanistan too, and in the auspicious reign of the his Highness King, with the inauguration of the Tourism Company a while ago by the government, there is no doubt that the expansion of the tourism industry will be a positive factor and will have an important role in the betterment of the economic situation and social affairs with the rest of the nations of the world. With the expansion of the tourism industry in Afghanistan in particular, a huge amount of foreign currency can be earned, which has an important role in balancing our foreign payments.
The construction of this hotel was supposed to be completed in three years' time, i.e. on 18 Hamal, 1349 (07-04-1970); yet, it approximately ended 7 months ahead of schedule due to continuous efforts of Afghan laborers and foreign technicians.
And these were some of the issues covered by Sardar Sultan Mahmood Ghazi, the head of Civil Aviation, in his speech during the inauguration of the Intercontinental hotel for the general information of the audience. After the speech of Mr. Mario Dijinva, the deputy manager of the Intercontinental hotel, the flag of Afghanistan was raised over the hotel. At that point, Mr. Noor Ahmad Etemadi, the Prime Minister, inaugurated the Intercontinental hotel in the benevolent name of God, wishing for the progress and prosperity of Afghanistan and by cutting the ribbon. At the end of this program the invitees participated in yet another function prepared for this occasion.
The end
Pad.ma requires JavaScript.
