Afghanistan hosted its first international marathon in Bamiyan Province, attracting over 60 runners from Afghanistan, Europe, the United States, and Canada. The event, organized by the Bamiyan provincial government's Culture and Information Department, the Bamiyan Tourism Associations, and Untamed Borders, featured a 42-kilometer race and a separate 10-kilometer race for local female competitors. Briton Keith MacIntosh won the marathon, while 15-year-old Nazira Saifi won the 10-kilometer race. The marathon aimed to promote unity and showcase the region's scenic beauty, despite ongoing violence in other parts of Afghanistan.

The article recounts the emotional and psychological impact on individuals who were coerced by the Taliban into destroying the ancient Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan in 2001. It highlights the forced participation of locals, the Taliban's celebration of the destruction, and the ongoing trauma experienced by those involved. The piece also touches on the Taliban's broader human rights violations and the plans by Afghan authorities and UNESCO to reconstruct the Buddhas.