Fragile but unbroken, Afghan glassblowers refuse to quit

Herat, Afghanistan — Seated in front of a searing furnace, Ghulam Sakhi Saifi teases forth sinews of molten blue glass -- the guardian of an Afghan glassblowing trade refusing to break with tradition. "This is our art, our inheritance. It has fed us for a long time," he told AFP, resting from the work that has singed his knuckles and calloused his palms. "We are trying to make sure it is not forgotten. If we do not pass it down, it will disappear from the whole world," said Saifi, who guesses his age is around 50.