From our newsroom to you: Empowerment and Education
Vol. 2 Issue #12. In this edition, we share articles on how Southasian women’s empowerment and leadership is making an impact. Don’t miss the news briefs at the end for things you'll want to know.
In our conversations this fortnight, we learned that regardless of the medium diplomacy, storytelling or art, Southasian women are agents of change and resilient at defying convention and responding to crises. They are building better futures for everyone regardless of gender, background or location.
Last week, I spoke to Tasveer co-founder Rita Meher and Board President Shailaja Rao who shared plans for the Southasian focused film and arts nonprofit and its recent opening of the Tasveer Film Center.
Abdullah Zahid sat down with one such woman defying the norms, Sultana Siddiqui, a media pioneer in Pakistan who started HumTV. ‘I saw something that shattered me,’ she tells him, talking about ‘Tan Man Neelo Neel’ (Body and Soul Bruised), her recent groundbreaking television series focusing on “blasphemy” in Pakistan.
Sapan News Associate Editor Pragyan Srivastava examines feminist diplomacy through the eyes of leaders like Sri Lankan peace activist Visaka Dharmadasa, in an article commemorating Women in Diplomacy Day, 24 June.
Sapan News Briefs
A CNN Academy Fellowship for a Sapan News reporter!
We are proud to offer congratulations to our very own intern reporter Abdullah Zahid in Karachi on being selected as a Fellow for the CNN Academy program Voices from the South: Storytelling for Impact. The educational initiative trains the next generation of journalists via in-person workshops, online learning, and newsroom simulations. Well done, Abdullah!
Taking our ‘Social Media Ethics Pledge’ to Gujranwala
Sapan News founder and chief editor Beena Sawar spoke online to first year students at the Department of Mass Communication and Media Studies at the Gujranwala Institute of Future Technologies (GIFT) University on Tuesday, 15 July. The discussion titled “Empowered or Addicted? The Impact of Social Media on Youth in Pakistan” was held in collaboration with the National Media Forum.
Live on IG This Week
Don’t miss this Saturday’s (19 July) Sapan Spotlight, a live interactive Instagram series produced by our partner the Southasia Peace Action Network. In the next episode, Bidhi Adhikari from Nepal interviews Sri Lankan native Dimantha Dilan Thenuwara, an IT expert and self-described ‘adventurer’ about his trek to Nepal to climb Mount Ama Dablam. Hear how he combines his love of mountain climbing adventures with his interest in humanitarian projects and cross-cultural dialogue.
Newly launched Southasia Institute
Nepal fellowships available at Kathmandu University and the Southasia Institute for History and Philosophy where they are launching a two-year Master’s in History and Philosophy program starting this October and in April 2026. The program is open to Nepali and international students. Full to partial fellowships are available to Nepali students based on merit, inclusion and need. The application deadline for the October 2025 course is 25 July 2025. For more information, visit: https://sihp.edu.np/programmes/mahp/
Call for young Southasians
The Doyens of Peace are inviting young Southasians throughout the region and across the diaspora (ages 15-25) to submit a 5-minute video on the theme “My Vision for South Asia as President or Prime Minister of My Country”. This initiative is in honor of first SAARC Civil Society Commemoration on 12 August which is International Youth Day. The commemorations celebrate peace and anti-nuclear activists Admiral Ramdas, Tapan Bose both from India, and peace activist Karamat Ali from Pakistan for their contributions to promoting peace in Southasia. Submissions are due by 25 July. For information and more details please visit www.peacedoyens.org
Why ‘Southasia’ as one word? Because our histories entangle, our struggles intersect, and our futures are bound together. It is not just a spelling choice — it’s a political and poetic one.
Thank you for reading! Your thoughts and feedback are important. Leave a comment and let us know what you enjoyed, or topics you’d like to see us cover. We love hearing from you!
Thank you,
Regina Johnson
Coordinating Editor
Sapan News
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