Amb. Samad is interviewed by Aina Afghan TV based in Vancouver, B.C. to convey a congratulatory message for the upcoming Eid ul-Fitr.

The Embassy of Afghanistan and CARE Canada sponsor a “Conversation with Clementina Cantoni” at the organization’s headquarters in Ottawa. Ms. Cantoni, who is on a working tour of Canada, is the former manager of the Kabul Widow and Vocational Training Programme in Afghanistan (HAWA). Ms. Cantoni was abducted by a criminal gang in Kabul in May 2005 and subsequently released in June after 24 days of captivity.

Several dozen representatives of NGOs, members of the Afghan-Canadian community and the diplomatic corps listen to remarks by Dr. A. John Watson, President and CEO of CARE Canada, Amb. Samad and Honourable Flora MacDonald, a member of CARE’s Board of Directors, about international aid work and in praise of Ms. Cantoni’s services

Amb. Samad expresses relief at the safe release of Ms. Cantoni, praises the work of CARE International and its country affiliates in providing vital humanitarian aid to the destitute. He also hoped for continued support by donors for vocational and training programmes in post-conflict countries like Afghanistan.

At the invitation of Mr. Dave Toycen, President of World Vision Canada, Mr. Tamim Amini, Senior Administrative Assistant, attends the opening of the organization’s Ottawa office. Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Cooperation, speaks on “Better and More Aid.”

Amb. Samad speaks to students in Canada and in the US who are part of a seminar on post-conflict peace-building and reconstruction in Afghanistan. At the invitation of Dr. David Mendeloff, Director of the Centre for Security and Defence Studies at the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, the Afghan envoy talks to students in Ottawa and via video hookup to students at Wichita State University in Kansas.

The Afghan envoy and Mrs. Samad host Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, Chancellor of Kabul University at the Afghan House.

The Ambassador also attends a talk sponsored by the South Asia Seminar Series of Carleton University and CIDA, by Dr. Ghani on “a vision for the post-Bonn process”.

Former Finance Minister Dr. Ghani was in Canada at the invitation of CIDA to speak at various venues on developments in Afghanistan and on Governance.

Amb. Samad attends a reception by Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew at FAC in honor of the Pearson College Fund.

A Cette occasion de nombreux hauts fonctionnaires, experts en matière de renseignement et de sécurité, universitaires, journalistes de la presse internationale ont pris la parole pour examiner et décrire les défis globaux en matière de renseignement et de sécurité. Plus de 300 représentants de gouvernements, des universités, des entreprises, du corps diplomatiques, des étudiants et les medias ont assiste a cet événement.

Mrs. Khorshied Samad spoke on a panel entitled Women in Politics:  International Perspectivesat the National Press Club in Ottawa, sponsored by  Equal Voice. This organization is a multi-partisan action committee devoted to the empowerment of women. The other panelists were from Denmark, the Philippines, and Rwanda.

Mrs. Samad co-hosted an event on Afghan women with Madame Odile Jouanneau, the wife of the Ambassador of France to Canada, at the French Embassy. The Hon. Flora MacDonald also spoke about her experiences working with women in Afghanistan.  Mrs. Samad showed footage of the ArteZan Designs silk project in Kabul, which is an income-generation and literacy support program. She discussed the changing status of Afghan women in the emerging democracy of Afghanistan.  More than 180 women attended the event, including Madame Sheila Martin, the wife of the Prime Minister of Canada, Mrs. Kitty Graham, wife of the Defence Minister and several lady Ambassadors among other guests.

Amb. Samad speaks on “New Leadership Paradigms” at the fifth anniversary of Tuft University’s Fletcher School GMAP program in Washington D.C.

Amb. Samad meets with and bids farewell to Gen. Rick Hillier, Chief of Defence Staff of Canada, and a delegation accompanying him to Afghanistan consisting of well-known Canadian personalities and Defence Attaches of several nations at Canada reception Center of Ottawa airport.

H.E. Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew expresses his concern and offer of aid in the aftermath of the earthquake during a phone call to Amb. Samad.

In the aftermath of the South Asian earthquake, H.E. Prime Minister Paul Martin expresses sympathy and readiness to help during a phone conversation with Amb. Samad, who expresses his appreciation for Canada’s offer.

Amb. Samad meets with a delegation from the Afghan Peace Ambassadors (Mr. Wais Nahzat, Mr. Suleiman Eshaqzai and Mr. Yussuf Ebadi) at the Embassy to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan and potential for activities of the Afghan-Canadian community and APA.

Mr. Sharief Ghalib, Minister Cousellor, attends a keynote speech by H.E. Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, at the Dutch-Canadian 2005 Conference on Climate Change in Ottawa.

Mr. Sediqullah Habibi, Second Secretary, attends the Dutch-Canadian 2005 Conference on Climate Change hosted at the Department of Foreign Affair, Ottawa.

Ambassador Samad and the staff of the Embassy host a group of Afghan National Army officers at the Embassy. The group of 10 officers are attending language courses at St Jean military school in Quebec.

The Ambassador and Mrs. Samad host the newly appointed Ambassador of Canada to Afghanistan H.E. David Sproule, at the Afghan House prior to his departure to Kabul.