Afghan

Toronto’s Afghan community made its presence known on February 15, 1989, when members paraded down Yonge Street to celebrate the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The rich culture of the Afghans can be discovered during the community’s religious and cultural celebrations throughout the year.
Most of Toronto’s Afghans are political refugees who were displaced in the late 1970s during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, a republic in Central Asia. Afghans began arriving in Canada in 1982, and today there are 45,000 Afghani Canadians scattered throughout Toronto, with a concentration in the Keele and Sheppard area.
Members of the community speak Pushto and Dari. Many Afghans have been highly educated in their homeland in such disciplines as engineering and journalism, and have established themselves in the professions. Others have started their own businesses, which range from grocery stores to carpet stores and auto repair shops.
Afghan House, in North York, is the community’s main cultural institution, where Afghans celebrate their cultural values with festivals and political events. The organization, which publishes a newspaper and a magazine, aims to educate Canadians about the culture, history, and politics of Afghanistan.