The Swedish journalist Börje Almqvist, working for many years for the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan inside Afghanistan from the 1980s and onwards, shows his vast collection of photos from Afghanistan at en exhibition in Stockholm during the summer 2012. The exhibition, entitled ”Children and Youth in Afghanistan”, is shown in the Orangerie at Vintervikens Trädgård in Aspudden, in southwestern Stockholm (metro station Aspudden). Opening hours in May: 11.00–17.00, July–August: 11.00–21.00.
The photos are taken during the period 2003–2011. More photos by Börje are found at http://web.comhem.se/borje.almqvist.photo/
The Kutiyattam dance troupe from the Natana Kairali Research and Performing Centre for Traditional Arts in Irinjalakuda, Thrissur District, Kerala, India, again visits Sweden in May 2012. This time the Natana Kairali dance troupe will give two public performances at Teater Sagohuset in Lund, on Friday 25 May and Sunday 27 May, at 19.00. Venue: Sagohuset, Revingegatan 8, Lund.
The Indian artist Srinivasa Prasad from Bangalore is represented with one of his pieces of art at the outdoor Wanås Konst exhibition inbetween Hässleholm and Knislinge in southernmost Sweden during the summer 2012, from 20 May till 28 October. For his creative work, Prasad uses natural materials such as mud, hay, water, grains, and cow dung, sith a deep root in the tradition and culture of his native land. He also takes in the essence of performing arts to his works and emphasizes the interaction between the audiences and the work. On the green lawn at Wanås, a stretch of tall willows was recently planted, a 40-metre coiling line that would measure 500 metres if it were straight. The saplings are planted in the form of a labyrinth to form Srinivasa Prasad the artist's signature written in Kannada, the provincial language of his Karnataka state in India. See photo.
On 14 April 2012, the Iqbal Academy Scandinavia (IAS) based in Denmark, observed the 2012 Iqbal Day at Albertslund in Copenhagen. The guest speaker Mohammad Sharif Baqa from London presided the session, whereas Sarosh Alamgir, a learned IAS board member, delivered a speech in English, in which he explained the basic idea of Khudi and its intended literal concept, the conception of God – The ultimate Khudi and some of His fundamental traits (Independence, Creativity, Awareness, Principles). His speech was in fact a foundational exposition of Khudi derived from the Holy Qur’an.
A photo exhibition exploring the theme of ”Water & Culture” is held 4 – 6 May 2012 at Aula Magna, Stockholm University. The exhibition focuses on the sacred importance of the ”Maha Kumbh Snan” in India. Kumbh is the largest peaceful religious congregation of human beings in the world where millions of Sadhus (holy men), Sannyasis (holy renunciates), devotees and pilgrims – from all parts of India come to undertake a holy dip in the water, and are joined by hundreds of foreign visitors. The exhibition explores the deeper meaning and importance of the Kumbh Snan in Indian culture, identifying it as an explicit expression of the centrality of water in religious beliefs and practices. Organisers of the exhibition and photographers are Associate Professor Nandita Singh from the 
A large crowd of people joined the Indian cultural programme/Mela that was held at Lunds konsthall on Saturday 14th April 2012. The programme was jointly organized by Konsthallen, SASNET, Lunds kommun/Kulturskolan and ABF, and was held in connection with an Indian art exhibition at Lunds konsthall, an exhibition entitled Social Fabric. The exhibition, to a large extent focusing on textile production in India, includes works by prominent Indian artists such as Archana Hande, Sudhir Patwardan, and Raqs Media Collective.
On invitation from SASNET, Senior Lecturer Tania Alyhr (photo) from Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, finally gave an appreciated lecture on ”Textile Life in Western India”, focusing on the mass of textile expressions and crafts, the multitude of uses of textiles, and the beauty and the variety of Indian clothing and the highly skilled, thorough and highly dedicated craftspeople who perform their work in a meticulous way.
In 2011, Dr. Christina Nygren, 
On Saturday 31 March 2012, 15.30–17.00, a well-attended cultural programme was held at Brokiga Bengalen. Rabindrasangheet singer Bubu Munshi Eklund (photo to the right) from Lund performed songs by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and other Bengali songs. The actress Lena T Hansson (photo to the left) recited poems by Tagore in Swedish translations, and also read out fascinating Tagore letters from Silaidaha written in the early 1890s. 
