The PHO permanent mission to Afghanistan has been operational since June 2002. The first core project undertaken was the reconstruction of the Secondary Art and Music School in Kabul. Prior to establishment of its permanent mission, PHO carried out two reconnaissance missions in November 2001 and April 2002, which resulted in selecting the art school reconstruction as a core PHO project. Reconstruction of the Art and Music School was thought to be the most suitable way of using funds collected by Polish children during the ‘A Zloty for Afghanistan children’ initiative, in which 2,200 Polish schools participated, collecting a total of over USD 100 000. PHO with the consent of the Afghan Ministries of Education and Urban Reconstruction has been working on reconstruction of the school, which was almost entirely destroyed in the course of the military conflict. The majority of the schoolteachers were forced to leave Afghanistan since music and most of the art courses had been prohibited under the Taliban regime. Before that the school, established in 1973, had been considered one of the most renowned art schools in the world, famous for its acknowledged artists-scholars, such as sculptor Mohammed Yousof Khan, ceramicist Azizudin-and calligraphist Mustafa Khan. On 17 July 2002 Afghan companies competed in a PHO organised tendering to carry out the school reconstruction work. Meanwhile, PHO persuaded Polish construction companies to donate finishing materials and select and sponsor an experienced professional who would supervise and co-ordinate reconstruction work on location. After completing the reconstruction work, PHO intends to further support the school, supply it with instruments and rise overall educational standards (introducing among others English, computer and humanitarian education classes) as well as organising academic exchange programs between Afghan and Polish Art students. The new, refurbished and properly equipped music section should be ready to welcome the next batch of students and former teachers coming back to their home country to start teaching in a new school year commencing in March 2003. In the long-term, PHO hopes not only to successfully restore the functioning of the schools but also to contribute to the revival and active promotion of Afghan culture in Afghanistan and Poland. See Afghanistan Vocational School of Arts and Music.