Press Release 2012
June 27, 2012
Historical Padshah-seh-Ughur Mausoleum Restored
Afghan Minister of Information and Culture Dr. S. M. Raheen joined U.S. Ambassador Hugo Llorens, Assistant Chief of Mission, at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday to celebrate the restoration of the historic Padshah-seh-Ughur Mausoleum. The Mausoleum, which had previously been identified by the Department of Historic Monuments of the Ministry of Information and Culture as in need of urgent repair, is an ancient and deeply significant structure, located in Shueda Salaheen Cemetery. It is considered a sacred place, and is also known as “King of Three Mortars” among the local population.
The restoration was made possible by a U.S. Embassy Kabul Public Affairs Section grant for $95,000 to the Afghan non-governmental organization Humanitarian Assistance and Facilitating Organization (HAFO). Many individuals from the surrounding community were employed on the restoration project and contributed significantly to the successful completion of this site’s restoration.
At the commemoration, Ambassador Llorens saluted the Embassy’s strong partnership with the Ministry of Information, stating “[i]t is an honor to assist in the cultural preservation and restoration of Afghanistan’s rich historical sites, like this mausoleum, which reveal your country’s multi-ethnic heritage and shared religious traditions. My colleagues at the American Embassy and I are proud that we were able to work in close cooperation with the Ministry of Information and Culture, and enable the Humanitarian Assistance and Facilitating Organization NGO to renovate and restore this mausoleum.”
The project was completed in April, 2012, and included the planting of 150 trees.