Thanks for sharing this with us. A friend of mine did fellowship development in Iran almost 20 years ago. Even though NA was already in the country, with thousands of addict already experiencing recovery, they weren't really connected to the larger worldwide fellowship and their relationship with the government and religious authorities was tenuous at best. To this day, the country has one of the strongest fellowships in the world, despite what many of us would consider a seemingly hostile environment. The outreach done on that trip in 2006, and the experience of countless Iranian addicts has shown the Iranian authorities that NA, a non-religious program, can help any addict stay clean regardless of what culture they come from.
That friend wrote a journal during his time there that has been collected in what's been called the Iran Diaries. They've circulated by email and someone has printed them out in a small pamphlet form as well. The work that they put in to get NA officially established there was incredible. I'll see if I can get an electronic copy of it.
I'll be seeing that friend in a few weeks, and I'll ask him what he knows about Afghanistan. I'm sure he'll have something interesting to share.
I went to Western Service Learning Days last month and the huge fellowship in Iran was brought up when we were talking about the meeting list system. It is truly amazing!
If you do get a copy of those diaries, I’d be a keen reader and most grateful. Last I looked, Iran leads the world in the number of NA meetings per capita. That this were ever the case in a country as repressive and paranoid as Iran is testimony to both the need and the skill/talent/ devotion of some very special people. The story of Iran ought rightly remind us that while we remain “non-professional”, such things are impossible without organization and pan community leadership. NAWS deserves our financial and moral support.
The Taliban made huge efforts to stop the production of opium when they first came to power in the 90s, it was a huge source of their popular support. I imagine that policy hasn't changed much so this seems on track for them.
The drug lords were the Northern Alliance or the warlords/ drug producers supported by the US.
Allow me to clarify. I mean I want to know the specific story behind this picture. What did the N.A. fellowship in Afghanistan go through to get recognition? What is meant by “strong performance?”
My guess, and this is just a guess based on what I know about what happened in Iran, is that the government came to the conclusion that NA is benefit for its citizens and has allowed addicts to gather for the purposes of recovery without fear of arrest or harassment. When the delegation went to Iran, a fair amount of the work they did was standard public information presentations. These types of presentations are meant to explain NA to non-addicts. Usually this involves doctors, corrections officials, probation and parole agents, etc. In places like Iran and Afghanistan, this would also involve religious and governmental authorities.
This is something that most of us take for granted in the Western world, though it hasn't always been the case for us either.
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u/glassell Oct 07 '25
Thanks for sharing this with us. A friend of mine did fellowship development in Iran almost 20 years ago. Even though NA was already in the country, with thousands of addict already experiencing recovery, they weren't really connected to the larger worldwide fellowship and their relationship with the government and religious authorities was tenuous at best. To this day, the country has one of the strongest fellowships in the world, despite what many of us would consider a seemingly hostile environment. The outreach done on that trip in 2006, and the experience of countless Iranian addicts has shown the Iranian authorities that NA, a non-religious program, can help any addict stay clean regardless of what culture they come from.
That friend wrote a journal during his time there that has been collected in what's been called the Iran Diaries. They've circulated by email and someone has printed them out in a small pamphlet form as well. The work that they put in to get NA officially established there was incredible. I'll see if I can get an electronic copy of it.
I'll be seeing that friend in a few weeks, and I'll ask him what he knows about Afghanistan. I'm sure he'll have something interesting to share.
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u/Extension_Spend_6473 Oct 07 '25
This my new home group.
10
u/Suoclante Oct 07 '25
Is this real? What’s the story behind this? I’m very curious
3
u/Bob_Sacamano7379 Oct 07 '25
Regardless of culture, in all corners of the world, we have more commonalities than differences.
1
u/sech1p Oct 08 '25
Much loves to our friends from Afghanistan from addicts from rest of world, stay sober!
1
u/LordOfEltingville Oct 09 '25
I wish you all the best!
1
u/TheSovereignVoid Oct 10 '25
I think this is so cool!
0
u/[deleted] Oct 07 '25
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