HYDERABAD, India: Doyens of Peace, a pan-Southasia platform of civil society organisations and youth groups, facilitated by COVA Peace Network, organised an online event to commemorate SAARC Charter Day on 8 December 2025.
COVA is the Confederation Of Voluntary Associations, in Hyderabad, India, and one of the nearly 135 endorsers of the Founding Charter of the Southasia Peace Action Network, known as Sapan, which calls upon the governments and peoples of the region to work towards soft borders, economic cooperation, uphold human rights and dignity, and collaborate in all areas.
Earlier this year, the Doyens of Peace chose three individuals to honour who had passed away recently – Admiral L. Ramdas, Karamat Ali, and Tapan Bose. These ‘peacemongers’ had spearheaded and dedicated their lives and efforts to building a culture of peace, dialogue and empathy.
This year, Doyens invited youth between 15 and 25 years from all Southasian countries to send in videos on the theme ‘How can Youth Collaborate across Borders to Reduce Poverty and Promote Peace in Southasia’.
The response was overwhelming and encouraging. As many as 220 videos of 2 to 5 minutes were received. Despite the devastation of Cyclone Ditwah, participants from Sri Lanka also sent in a powerful video.
The top 14 videos were livestreamed on YouTube along with a panel discussion.
Nine points of a Strategic Youth Blueprint for transforming Southasia emerged:
1. Southasian Youth Peace Network
2. Music Unites: Cross-Border Cultural Diplomacy
3. Social Media and AI for Peace and Collaboration
4. Virtual Campuses / Open Southasian Universities: Education Without Borders
5. Regional Youth Innovation Hub
6. Youth-Led Cross-Border Trade Bridges :
7. Green Energy Grid Initiative :
8. Joint Environmental and Resource Programs:
9. Disaster Response as a Unifying Force
This Blueprint provides a strategy for converting South Asia’s greatest challenge — its fragmentation — into its greatest opportunity: a unified, innovation-driven, youth-led region.
It also articulates a philosophical stance:
- Poverty is not Destiny
- Conflict is not Inevitable
- Youth — if empowered — can rewrite the future of South Asia.
The organisers propose to establish Thematic Community Groups on: Education Across Borders, Climate Change, Social Media and AI for Collaborations across Southasia, Music and Culture for Regional Connect, Regional Youth Innovation etc to translate the Blue Print into reality
A PDF of the full report may be accessed at the Peace Doyens website.
Contact: peacedoyenssouthasia@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +91 7731064466
Secretariat: COVA Peace Network, Hyderabad, India.
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