Farahnaz Forotan

Innovative Media Leader with expertise in narrative journalism and storytelling. Built credibility as the first woman in Afghan media to conduct confrontational interviews, empowering a network of female journalists and young women to share their untold stories through initiatives like "Notes of Longing." Delivered impactful narratives on a global scale, including a TIME magazine cover story highlighting the experiences of Afghan female pilots in the U.S.

During the historic peace talks between the United States and the Taliban in 2019, Farahnaz, in protest against the absence of women and the younger generation in the peace negotiations, initiated a campaign under the hashtag #MyRedLine. Her message was: 'Hello, I am a journalist, and my red line is my pen. I want to remain a journalist. What is your red line?' This campaign became one of the most prominent movements in less than a week. Thousands of people worldwide joined this campaign in solidarity with Afghan women, and major global media outlets extensively covered the initiative. The New York Times profiled Farahnaz in this campaign.

She traveled to war-torn regions, amplifying the voices of both women and men for a sustainable peace in Afghanistan, where the rights of both genders are ensured.

The Tale of My Long Journey