A documentary titled, BAYWATANA, a Pashto word, that translates to Without a Country, is based on the lives and ordeals of Afghan Religious Minorities. It will focus on their history as Afghans and how they, in the past few decades, have endured hardships and religious persecution, that have ultimately forced them to flee their home and country.

A group of high school students from Nishkam TV, located at New England Sikh Study Circle, Westborough MA Gurudwara Sahib, are working on a documentary in collaboration called “Baywatana – Without a Country” a Pashto word, which explores the stories of religious minorities who have left Afghanistan due to persecution and discrimination. The students have been working on the project for several months and hope to shed light on the experiences of these individuals and their families.

The students were inspired to create the documentary after learning about the challenges faced by religious minorities in Afghanistan. They reached out to members of the Afghan community in the cities London, Vancouver, New Delhi, and New York City and were introduced to several families who had left Afghanistan due to religious persecution. The students have been conducting interviews with these families and other experts in the field to create a comprehensive and insightful documentary. This documentary’s idea stemmed from the concept of human rights and freedom of religion, the theme of this year’s Parliament of World Religions. 

“Baywatana” aims to bring attention to the plight of religious minorities in Afghanistan and raise awareness about the challenges they face. The documentary also explores the impact of leaving one’s home country and the challenges of resettling in a new country. The students hope that their documentary will help to promote empathy and understanding for these individuals and their experiences.

The documentary is set to be released on August 15th at the Parliament of The World Religions Conference in Chicago, and the team is also hoping to submit the documentary to streaming services to reach a wider audience.

The students behind “Baywatana” are passionate about using their skills and resources to make a positive impact in their community and beyond. They hope that their documentary will inspire others to learn more about the challenges faced by religious minorities in Afghanistan and take action to support them.

Please support the students of Nishkam TV financially so that they can complete this significant project.

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Suner Kaur Chopra,
Content team member, Nishkam TV