aw01 The Audience
The Karzai Administration, the government that replaced the Taliban, was installed in ceremonies in the Interior Ministry Auditorium.
In Afghanistan it is considered rude for women to appear in public without covering their hair; men are considered to be rude if they wear short sleeves or short pants in public. If I entered a church in America or Europe with bare feet, in many places this action would be taken as a sign of disrespect; if I enter a mosque in Afghanistan with my shoes on this would be taken as a sign of disrespect. The issue is not the innate sanctity of shoes or scarves; the issue is respect for the cultural traditions of others.
Ceremonies Installing the Interim Government, Kabul, Afghanistan, December 22, 2001, 35mm Nikon F 100, Nikkor lens, ©Luke Powell, 2003. LP18.010.14.