Origins and Purpose
In 2021, the Cambridge Afghanistan Series (CAS), also known as the Cambridge Massoud Conference (CMC), was established to amplify the voices of Afghanistan’s civil society and advocate for institutions embracing diversity and pluralism within the state system. For a century, these demands have remained on the margins of politics in Afghanistan, but within the past three decades (1992 to present), these demands have become almost mainstream. Thus, the central theme of the annual conference was designed to critically explore “Governance Pathways in Afghanistan,” under the enduring slogan: Reimagining the State in Afghanistan: Pathways to a Future Governance System.
The year 2021 proved disastrous for Afghanistan, as the country suffered yet another state collapse with devastating consequences for its diverse communities and regional stability. Faced with multidimensional crises—political, economic, security, and humanitarian—the Taliban’s return deepened these challenges. As a result, the conference’s scope expanded to address immediate concerns, providing practical, policy-oriented solutions while supporting national and international efforts for reconciliation and dialogue in Afghanistan.
With the support of Mosaic Global Foundation, to date, CAS has successfully been held three times.
CAS-I at Gonville & Caius College (2021)
Since its inception, CAS has achieved significant milestones. Mosaic Global Foundation established a 15-member Academic Board to provide strategic direction for the conference. The first series (CAS-I) was held at Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, as a one-day event. It was a great success, bringing together scholars, experts, and policymakers to reflect on Afghanistan’s future.
Taking the opportunity, we would like to thank Dr John Casey, a fellow of Gonville & Caius College and a member of our Academic Board, for his continued support as well as the Eve Stupart, Conference & Events Manager at Gonville & Caius College for her and team’s incredible support.
CAS-II at Emmanuel College (2022)
Generously funded by the University of Cambridge through the office of Professor Stephen Toope, then Vice-Chancellor (2017–2022), the second series (CAS-II) was successfully held at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, on 22–23 September 2022. Professor Sir Chris Clark of St Catharine’s College played an instrumental role in securing the funding.
The conference was organised into five distinct panels, welcoming distinguished academics from across the world for two days of in-depth discussions. The underlying theme focused on the possibilities of establishing an inclusive, diverse, democratic, and equitable system in Afghanistan—anchored in its rich history and culture, at peace with itself, the region, and the wider world.
A special note of thanks is due to Mr Doug Chalmers, President of Emmanuel College, and his colleagues for their hospitality in facilitating a highly successful two-day conference.
CAS-III at Hughes Hall College (2024)
After a one-year hiatus, the third series (CAS-III) was held at Hughes Hall College, University of Cambridge, on 6–7 September 2024. Once again, this two-day conference convened leading scholars, experts, civil society activists, and former policymakers. CAS continues to serve as a vital platform, amplifying civil society’s voices while ensuring their contributions lead to lasting peace through meaningful dialogue. With its growing credibility, the conference is well-positioned to expand its impact in the coming years.
Mosaic Global Foundation expresses deep gratitude for the invaluable support and guidance of Sir Laurie Bristow, President of Hughes Hall College and former UK Ambassador to Afghanistan. Additionally, we extend sincere thanks to Dr Gillian Tett, Provost of King’s College, University of Cambridge, for her generous assistance to the Mosaic and CAS teams.
Proceedings of CAS-III
The Cambridge Conference Afghanistan Series III featured six panels, each dedicated to either historical or contemporary issues of Afghanistan, while the last panel gave a chance for various political currents to present their political roadmap aimed at addressing the complex and ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.
Chaired by Mr David Loyn, roundtable brought two top expert all tasked with critically evaluating the proposed roadmaps. In addition, scholars of each panel had the opportunity to respond to these assessments, ensuring a dynamic and thought-provoking dialogue.
In the opening session, Mr. Michael Semple delivered a comprehensive critique the roadmaps under discussion, followed by an insightful presentation and response from Ambassador Nasir Ahmad Andisha. The second session shifted focus to various political movements and organisations, each presenting their own vision for Afghanistan’s future:
- The Vienna Process for Democratic Afghanistan
- The National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan
- Nahzat Etimad Milli Afghanistan, National Trust Movement of Afghanistan
- The Federalist Assembly of Afghanistan
- The Freedom Front of Afghanistan
- Hizb-i Shahrvandan-i Afghanistan or the Citizens Party of Afghanistan
These roadmaps presented diverse political perspectives, each offering unique strategies to address Afghanistan’s crisis. The conference concluded with a shared sense of urgency and responsibility, highlighting the potential for innovative and collaborative solutions. This exchange of ideas laid a strong foundation for future dialogue and action, with the hope that these roadmaps will contribute significantly to Afghanistan’s path toward peace and stability.
CAS-IV: The Future
With the active support and expertise of its 15-member Academic Board, the Mosaic team is currently working on organising CAS-IV. While CAS-IV’s “Call for Paper,” has been finalised, with panel theme suggestions, as well as continuation of the discussion on the “roadmaps” of various political current of Afghanistan, the date and venue of the event is uncertain.
In CAS-IV will work toward a “Composite National Roadmap.” As hinted, in our 2024 conference, the representatives of six political currents were invited to present their roadmaps on Afghanistan’s future and how to address the current political impasse. These road maps, though distinct, shared overlapping ideas for the country’s future. In fact, an expert assessment revealed that there is significant convergence among these proposals—enough to justify the formation of a dedicated committee tasked with developing a composite national road map. This committee or working group—made up of several organisations and individuals—is now working to synthesise these six proposals, along with additional road maps (covering over a dozen roadmaps in total) with a significant input from other political and civic actors, for example the inclusive, diverse and democratic civil society forum, called New Afghanistan Democratic Forum (NAD-Forum). The goal is to present a composite comprehensive roadmap or a composite national roadmap at the 2025 conference, opening it up to broader dialogue and refinement.
The initiative to create a composite national roadmap marks a strategic shift toward unity and coordination among Afghanistan’s fragmented opposition forces, both political and civil. Rather than promoting isolated visions or competitive agendas, this effort seeks to create a shared framework that reflects the aspirations of a wide spectrum of Afghanistan society. By grounding the process in dialogue, expertise, and broad-based political input, the composite roadmap aspires to offer a viable and inclusive path forward—anchored in legitimacy, realism, and collective ownership.
Stay tuned for further updates!
Media Attention
Our conference series have always attracted a lot of media attention, including by the BBC Persian, Afghanistan International, Hashte Subh Daily, Amu TV, and English media like The Jurist etc, among others.
https://x.com/MassoudConfCamb/status/1836048426972201350
https://x.com/MassoudConfCamb/status/1836049829132140852
https://x.com/MosaicGFdn/status/1836858851800297554
CAS-IV: The Future
With the active support and expertise of its 15-member Academic Board, the Mosaic team is currently working on organising CAS-IV. Stay tuned for further updates!
Please find the communiqué from the most recent conference HERE.