Talk: Survival and Sisterhood in the Age of the Taliban

Tonight, back with TAC for another talk at The Conduit - this one was Survival and Sisterhood in the Age of the Taliban, and was the story of the captain of the Afghan ladies' football team. It'd be really interesting to hear from an Afghan woman personally.

Setting off, Google Maps was of the opinion I'd left it a bit late.. well, conscious of this, and knowing The Conduit is in that area where several stops are just as good.. as soon as the journey planner predicted I'd be as quick walking, off I went on foot, figuring I'd avoid the traffic. Mercifully, it wasn't half as hot as yesterday, so I was comfortable enough - and made The Conduit just before the scheduled time. 

Second floor, it was on tonight - more stairs than before! Well, up I went - and into what appeared to be an office, people on laptops. Surreal. She'd said it was past the glass partition though, and sure enough, there is a library through there, where chairs had been set up - sadly, no wine, just water. I took a seat near the back. The talk was chaired by the UK director of Human Rights Watch.

The speaker is living in Denmark these days, it transpires, while most of the team are in exile, apparently in Melbourne. This was a much more emotional talk than the last I attended, as she described her personal experiences, and those of the team. She's just written a book, probably also an emotional read. Anyway, she described her absolute passion for football / soccer - someone in the Q+A asked whether she was inspired by any player in particular, and she waxed lyrical about Ronaldinho! Used to have a poster of him on her wall as a teenager, in fact.

One very interesting aspect of the talk was her description of how supportive her family were, in fact - as she said, she never experienced discrimination until she left the house. She mentioned a number of times how privileged she was, and pointed out how her father and brothers were considered "not real men" for "not being able to control their women". Her brothers were bullied at school for it. It's a side you don't often hear about.

Another thing she was passionate about was the lack of commitment of Western governments to Afghan aid - they decided it was sorted, as she said, a long time before it actually was. Of course, in the last talk, we heard a lot about corruption, and the syphoning off of funds. People in the Q+A tried to steer her in an overtly political direction, one even asking her whether she thought the same restrictions would happen in Gaza, if Hamas took control! A ridiculous question - not only because she, as stated by herself, is not political, but equally because they're two different groups. He tried to defend his point by saying they're both defined as terrorist organisations - but again, the point simply doesn't follow.

One teenager in front of me asked a question - and while she was speaking, I had an interesting view of someone, obviously her mother, visibly bursting with pride! Yep, start 'em young.. Anyway, a very interesting talk again.

Afterwards, I'd booked for Bella Italia St. Martin's Lane again. Moseyed on down there - he didn't even ask whether I had a reservation, as I realised on my starter: so I thought I'd better cancel (at this point, it wasn't even yet time for the reservation!). It wasn't very busy. As usual, I had a garlic feast - with that gorgeous, drippy garlic butter for both starter and main. They don't have a dessert I fancy, so I contented myself with a second glass of wine.. always love it here.

Tomorrow, back with London Literary Walks for The Chaucer Walk. Meeting at The Bell, and I'm eating there beforehand again. So I'll leave my office visit to Thursday.

On Thursday, back with CT for an LSO concert at the Barbican. Which gives me an excuse to head back to my old stomping ground of the local Cote! Except I'm not.. I hadn't realised I'd double-booked! I'm actually off to a talk called In Defence of Human Rights - part of the How-To Academy, at the Francis Crick Institute, thus fulfilling my year's requirement with TAC. So I've had to cancel the concert.

Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. Film for Saturday is The Bikeriders - now, I've seen the trailer for this a couple of times, and it looks interesting. Stars Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Jodie Comer - unrecognisable as a brunette - but wow, what a cast. One review says that Austin Butler is constrained by the role, but that the others are excellent. Apparently based on a real-life biker gang, and set in 1965.. yep, if this is well done, it could be awesome.. Showing at a better time in the Odeon Limerick, so I've booked for there.

And on Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats - this time, for an interesting-sounding play called Visit from an Unknown Woman, in Hampstead Theatre..