Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) is an internationally acclaimed music school, and founder Ahmad Sarmast received the Polar Prize in 2018 for his efforts to build the country's music life after the previous Taliban regime.
Now the music institute has been forced to close, confirms Marie Ledin, CEO of the Polar Prize.
- That's terrible.
I spoke with Ahmad Sarmast yesterday.
Students and staff seem to be safe, or have hidden, says Marie Ledin to Kulturnyheterna.
The National Music Institute was founded in 2010 and describes itself as the only music school with both traditional and Western music education for students regardless of gender, ethnic background and social class.
Taliban: "Music is banned"
The information that the institute has now been closed comes shortly after a high-profile interview in NYT, where Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says: "Music is forbidden in Islam.
But we hope we can persuade people not to do such things, instead of pressuring them. "
The idea that music is forbidden according to Islam is not generally accepted, and comes from a hadith (religious scripture), whose reliability is questioned.
What has this music school meant for Afghanistan's music life?
- Everything ... everything.
So it is so important for people to be able to express with the help of music.
Music is a consolation ... especially in this situation.
So I think it's really, really awful, says Marie Ledin.
Kulturnyheterna is looking for the music institute's founder Ahmad Sarmast.