Afghanistan does not have an ocean. But that isn’t stopping the Wave Riders Association of Afghanistan (WRAA) from campaigning to hold the first-ever Afghan Surf Championship in Ericeira, Portugal this May. The WRAA, founded in 2012, is working through the crowdfunding site Indiegogo to raise money for their groundbreaking championship event. At $7,000, the organization will be able to host the Afghan Surf Championship. At their ultimate goal of $11,000, WRAA will send their champions to compete in the ISA World Surfing Games in June of 2015.
How is this possibly, you ask? According to WRAA, over 8 million Afghans live in exile around the world. Thus, many have access to the ocean in their resident countries. The championship is a unique opportunity for Afghani surfers living all over the world to come together. Any surfer of Afghani heritage is invited to participate. While this is a great opportunity to bring surfers of Afghani heritage together, it is also a way of bringing Afghani surfers into the global surfing community.
Afghanistan became a member of the International Surfing Association (ISA) in 2014. The country, mostly desert, was welcomed because WRAA was actively working to develop the sport of surfing in Afghanistan. The WRAA’s purpose: “Develop a sustainable organization that represents, supports and grows the young Afghan surf culture while showing the beauty of Afghanistan to the outside world.”
The championship event will fulfill WRAA’s mission to share Afghani culture with the world by offering Afghani cuisine, music, and games throughout the contest. The organization also has plans to build a wave park in Afghanistan and find an undiscovered surf spot somewhere in the world and name it New Kabul. With just fifteen days left, WRAA has reached 42 percent of its monetary goal.
To donate, visit the WRAA’s website.
