Event, Dec 10: Why SAARC? Challenges and missed opportunites

To commemorate the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) charter day observed annually on 8 December, the Southasia* Peace Action Network, Sapan, will host a webinar titled, “Why SAARC? Challenges and Missed Opportunities” on Sunday, 10 December 2023.

Background: SAARC was established as a platform for member nations to address common challenges and foster mutual development in 1985. Despite shared histories and cultural ties, the region has encountered obstacles hindering seamless cooperation. The webinar will investigate the dynamics of regional cooperation in Southasia, focusing on the role of SAARC.

Objectives: We aim to explore bilateral and multilateral treaties within Southasian countries, the socio-economic potential of open borders, and the significance of SAARC as an institution. In addition, we will look into the challenges and opportunities of cooperative efforts within the region and provide insights into obstacles hindering regional cooperation concerning divergent national interests, economic disparities, lack of trust, etc. The predominant goal is to envision combined efforts between Southasian countries that leverage shared strengths for collective growth and prosperity.

Date: Sunday, 10 December 2023

Time: 10:00 am ET / 8:00 pm PKT / 8:30 pm IST / 8:45 pm NPT / 9:00 pm BDT

Register to get the Zoom link in your email, or watch live on YouTube.

Host: Kanak Mani Dixit (Nepal), Moderator: Dr. Serena Hussain (UK)

Speakers: Mani Shankar Aiyer (India), Tariq Karim (Bangladesh), Dr. Zahid Shahab Ahmed (Pakistan), Suhasini Haider (India).

Speaker bios online here.

*Southasia: Borrowing from Himal Southasian, Sapan uses ‘Southasia’ as one word, “seeking to restore some of the historical unity of our common living space, without wishing any violence on the existing nation-states.”

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