KABUL - Amid cheerful applauses and motivational clapping, the musicians and singers from Afghanistan and some regional countries mesmerized a considerably big audience of mostly young Afghans in Kabul during a two-day “Afghanistan’s Peace Musical Festival” 2013.

The festival—organized on 19 and 20 October—was aimed at promoting peace and friendship throughout the region by featuring contemporary artists, musicians and performers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Tajikistan. The theme of the festival was “Shana Ba Shana” transl. [Shoulder by Shoulder.]

Amongst the singing stars was Aryana Saeed—one of Afghanistan’s most popular female singers and a judge on “The Voice of Afghanistan” television show—who presented various songs and cheered up the audience.

“I like participating in a concert that is aimed to contribute in efforts to bring peace and positive changes in the society,” said Ms. Saeed in an exclusive interview with UNAMA after her performance at the festival.

“Music is one of the most effective ways to convey messages of peace, solidarity and brotherhood to the people,” said Ms. Saeed.

The festival was organized by Youth FM—the first youth dedicated radio station in Afghanistan in collaboration with its local partners including Channel-One television and Kabul Street, which is a peace art initiative aiming to contribute towards positive social transformation in Afghanistan.

The performances of the singers were relayed by Youth FM in Jalalabad, Khost, Ghazni, Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif cities of Afghanistan while the second day performances were also shown live on Channel-One television.

“The festival brought together people from different walks of life under one roof and provided opportunity to them to have some moments of happiness and joy,” said Adda Anwari, one of the participants from the audience.

According to a press release of Youth FM, the festival, by providing unconventional and artistic environment promoted the global ideal of peace and brotherhood, this time led by Afghan rappers and hip-hop dancers, Indian Reggae singers and Pakistani pop artists, all raising awareness of their shared culture and identity.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also organized an unprecedented outdoor music concert in the central province of Bamyan on 14 August 2013 to mark the International Youth Day. The concert drew an audience of thousands to the grounds beneath the world-famous caverns where giant stone Buddha carvings once stood.