Five years of Sapan: Connecting, holding space, keeping hope alive

Add a comment

Join the Southasia Peace Action Network (Sapan) on Sunday, 29 March 2026, to commemorate our fifth anniversary, upholding the importance of dialogue, empathy, and regional solidarity

When the Southasia Peace Action Network was launched in March 2021, the world was in the grip of a global pandemic. We were locked in our homes, helplessly watching a virus spread havoc across our borders. Today, as we reach our fifth anniversary, we find ourselves again watching devastation in the region and the world, often feeling powerless to intervene.

In such unprecedented times, can we still dare to hope?

We invite you to join this commemorative discussion featuring speakers from across Southasia and the diaspora. Together, we will grapple with our current challenges, celebrate our collective wins, and reaffirm our commitment to a peaceful, connected region.

Date: Sunday, 29 March 2026 

Time: 8 am Pacific / 11 am Eastern Time/ 3 pm London / 8 pm Pakistan / 8:30 pm India / 8:45 pm Nepal / 9 pm Bangladesh

Where: Online via Zoom and on YouTube

Speakers and agenda

Portrait of a woman with curly gray hair, wearing a traditional outfit and earrings, smiling at the camera.

Welcome: Beena Sarwar, journalist, filmmaker, Sapan co- founder and curator.

A woman with long dark hair wearing a patterned top, resting her chin on her hand and looking directly at the camera with a subtle smile.


Event host: Sushmita S. Preetha, journalist, researcher, and Associate Coordinator at Nijera Kori, Dhaka.

‘GenZ, democracy, war, peace, and the region’ — a conversation

Black and white portrait of a woman wearing large glasses and earrings with her hair pulled back.
A smiling woman with long black hair and glasses, in a neutral background.
Portrait of a smiling woman with dark hair, wearing traditional attire and a bindi on her forehead.
  • J. Natasha Gooneratne, founder of Perspective South and specialist in public diplomacy and international law, Colombo.
  • Naziba Basher, senior sub-editor at The Daily Star and host of the talk show That’s What She Said, Dhaka.
  • Pratibha Tuladhar, journalist, educator, and Nepali Times columnist, Kathmandu. 
Close-up portrait of a woman with black hair and glasses, smiling softly. She is wearing a patterned top.

‘Countering oppression, violence, and the Epstein mindset’ – Ruchira Gupta, founder of Apne Aap Women Worldwide  

A smiling woman with long, wavy dark hair wearing a traditional outfit and standing against a plain background.

Event Resolution presented by Dr. Dayani Panagoda, women, peace and security, reconciliation, and post-conflict recovery expert, Colombo

Ghost Peppers – musical offering – Dr Amrita Ghosh

A group of four musicians performing together, with one playing an acoustic guitar, another sitting on a box, a third woman singing, and the fourth playing an electric guitar. A small Christmas tree is in the background.

How to join:

Watch and comment on the Sapan Youtube channel: youtube.com/SouthAsiaPeace – Please like and share our channel, we need all the help we can get. 

Register to join via Zoom to receive the meeting link and confirmation details.

Register Here

See you there, spread the word – and thank you!

Lead image by Sushmita Preetha

Categories:

Published by Southasia Peace Action Network

Sapan is a coalition of peace activists working towards soft borders or visa on arrival for Southasians, freedom of trade, travel and tourism in the region especially between India and Pakistan.

Leave a Reply