Government Gone, Cause Alive: Vienna Honors Afghan Ambassador

ADN
On 5 November, the historic Baroque halls of Palais Schönborn-Batthyány in Vienna’s first district hosted diplomats, journalists, and civil society leaders for the launch of a new issue of Diplomatic Society. The event marked a notable milestone: for the first time in the magazine’s history, an ambassador, Manizha Bakhtari, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Austria, appeared on its cover.
The grandeur of the venue, long associated with diplomatic negotiations and cultural tradition, stood in stark contrast to the story being recognized: a country in collapse, women stripped of their basic rights, and an ambassador representing a nation whose government no longer exists. 

What began as a routine magazine unveiling quickly transformed into a tribute to perseverance and a reminder of a struggle that continues to demand global attention. 

“The Last Ambassador” a Story of Global Resonance

Opening the ceremony, Gertrud Tauchhammer, founder and publisher of Society Magazine, described how the cover feature took shape. Addressing the audience beneath the palace’s tall mirrors, she recounted the editorial team’s reaction after watching a documentary about Bakhtari.
“You are the first ambassador ever to appear on our cover,” she said. “The title – The Last Ambassador – came to us immediately. Not only because you are the last Afghan ambassador to Austria, but because you stand for something we all believe in: human rights, especially the rights of women and girls.”

She noted that some members of her team were moved to tears by the film.

“This is not charity,” she added. “It is our small contribution – modest but heartfelt – to show that we stand with Afghan women.”

The Last Ambassador, a documentary directed by Austrian filmmaker Natalie Halla, has already brought Bakhtari’s story to international audiences. Premiered in July 2025 after more than three and a half years of filming, the documentary blends interviews, archival material, and immersive observational footage to depict Bakhtari’s life in exile following the Taliban’s return to power. As The Diplomat reported, Halla’s work captures the emotional and political weight carried by an ambassador who refuses to legitimize the ruling authorities in Kabul while advocating for millions of women erased from public life.

It was this combination of resilience and moral clarity that inspired the magazine to place her on its cover. Within the ornate surroundings of Palais Schönborn-Batthyány, Tauchhammer’s remarks underscored the significance of the moment: a palace usually reserved for diplomatic ceremony had become the backdrop for a narrative of resistance.

Diplomacy as a Voice

When Ambassador Bakhtari took the podium, she immediately redirected attention toward the people she represents.

“The Last Ambassador is not just about me,” she said. “It represents millions of Afghan women who have been silenced. Women who no longer have the agency to continue their education. They have stories to tell, and this platform reflects their voices.”

Her statement prompted a moment of quiet reflection in the ornate ballroom.

A former journalist and lecturer at Kabul University, Bakhtari emphasized the role of media as a tool for advocacy.

“Platforms like this magazine matter,” she said. “Every feature that highlights these realities is a form of resistance.”

She expressed deep gratitude to Austria, its government, civil society, political parties, and media, for what she described as “unwavering support” for Afghan women. Diplomats and representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) nodded as she spoke.
Bakhtari then addressed a recurring question: What has she been able to achieve over the past four years?
“Is diplomacy only about remaining silent within formal structures?” she asked. “Or can it also mean raising one’s voice when justice is denied?”

Her message was unequivocal: silence in the face of oppression is not neutrality, it is complicity.
She also drew attention to the poignant timing, noting the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, even as Afghanistan now represents one of its gravest violations.

Among the attendees was filmmaker Natalie Halla, whose documentary has amplified Bakhtari’s story internationally. Bakhtari addressed her directly:

“Your work brought my story – and the story of Afghan women – to life. It reminds us that civil society, media, and individuals can come together in the pursuit of justice, equality, and human rights.”
By the end of the ceremony, it was clear that the gathering had become far more than a magazine launch. Within the baroque splendor of Palais Schönborn-Batthyány, the struggle of Afghan women was not simply acknowledged, it was honored. And in presenting Ambassador Bakhtari as The Last Ambassador, Vienna affirmed not an ending, but the continuation of a fight for voices that can no longer appear in such diplomatic spaces.