Samira Kitman (born 1984) is an Afghanistan-born calligrapher and miniaturist currently residing in Lancaster in northern England.
[2] She learned her craft with the Turquoise Mountain Foundation and went on to organise the contract that provided Afghan miniature painting, ceramics and woodwork to the brand new five-star Anjum Hotel in Mecca which is used by wealthy pilgrims.
[4] She was voted Afghan businesswoman of the year,[2] has been praised by Prince Charles and has had her art displayed at the Victoria and Albert museum in London and the Smithsonian in Washington.
She created Maftah-e Hunar, an arts foundation which trained eighty young, deprived women to become artists and make a living.
[1] Kitman’s high profile brought her to the attention of militants, and she applied for asylum to the United Kingdom and was located by the Home Office in Lancaster.