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Afghanistan's Short Story Competition
Stories that connect
voices that resist
For too long, Afghan stories have been told by outsiders. The world often sees Afghanistan through the lens of war, conflict, and despair—flattening millions of voices into a single narrative of victimhood. A Thousand Voices is a Projects for Peace initiative that challenges this erasure by launching a global short story competition and anthology series to amplify the lived experiences, dreams, and resilience of Afghan youth—written by them, in their own voices.
In partnership with
Our Journey
Discover the milestones that shaped A Thousand Voices into the platform it is today.
Story Submissions
Afghan youth will submit short stories—fiction or non-fiction—centered on themes of identity, resilience, and home.
Regular Submission Closed
This is the last day to submit your story. We will not accept any more submissions after this date. We will start reviewing the submissions and selecting the applicable pieces for the next round of interviews.
Pre-selection of Writers
We will be selecting the writers who will be interviewed for the next round of interviews. During this process, we will be verifying the authenticity of the stories and the writers. This includes narrowing on duplicate applicants, stories that do not meet the criteria, non-compliant AI submissions, and other criteria that have been outlined in the submission guidelines.
Second Round of Selection and Interviewing Process
Remaining writers will be interviewed for their pieces. This includes verifying the authenticity of the stories and the writers or artists. This includes understanding the writer's background, their story, and their writing style.
Publishing and Book Launch
We celebrate the power of Afghan youth voices with a public launch event, readings, and recognition—on the fifth anniversary of Kabul's fall.
Join us on this journey.
Share your story with the world!
"If culture was a house, then language was the key to the front door, to all the rooms inside. Without it, you ended up on the street, outside, without shelter. You became an observer rather than a participant in the story."
Afghan Diaspora Across the World
Explore geographic distribution, migration waves, and cultural impact across time.
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Become an A Thousand Voices Partner
Looking to make a global impact? Partner with us and help amplify Afghan voices while building meaningful connections across cultures.