Dr Abbas Farasoo has been working in the Victorian Department of Education in the past two years. He holds a PhD from Deakin University and an MA from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. He has published widely and is the author of Proxy War in Afghanistan: The Politics of State-Wrecking (Manchester University Press, 2025). Abbas has significant diplomatic experience, including serving as Chargé d’Affaires of the Afghanistan Embassy in Australia (2014–2017) and as Deputy Director-General for Regional Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan (2013–2014). Abbas is passionate about advancing inclusive and equitable education initiatives through strong community engagement.