Press Statements Access is not a threat: A call to lift reciprocal news bans in India and Pakistan 14 Jan 202616 Jan 2026 Joint statement by media professionals and concerned citizens in Southasia and the diaspora We, the undersigned individuals and organisations, express deep concern over the continued blocking of Indian news websites…
Press Statements… South Asia media groups express solidarity with journalists, condemn attacks on Bangladesh and Nepal media, demand accountability 22 Dec 202524 Dec 2025 December 22 - The Southasia Peace Action Network (Sapan), the South Asia Media Defenders Network (SAMDEN), Sapan News, Rural Media Network Pakistan, and others strongly condemn the attacks, vandalism and…
Events… Book lovers and ‘peacemongers’ come together over Arundhati Roy’s new memoir 16 Dec 202516 Dec 2025 Members of the online book club Readers Without Borders and activists from the Southasia Peace Action Network convened for an engaging discussion over the recently published ‘Mother Mary Comes to…
Press Statements… A call for SAARC and its member states to revitalise regional cooperation in South Asia 10 Dec 202510 Dec 2025 Sapan Peacemongers call to “find a way to restore some level of civilised interaction, particularly between India and Pakistan” and “forging our own narrative” BOSTON: December 8 is commemorated annually…
Press Statements… Southasian call for climate justice: Sapan launches online petition ahead of COP30 7 Nov 20257 Nov 2025 PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BOSTON: An online petition calling for global recognition of Southasia’s shared climate crisis and collective potential has been launched ahead of the 30th Conference of…
Events… “You Can Kill a Person, But Not an Idea”: Southasia Peace Action Network Film Club on ‘After Sabeen’ 3 Oct 202517 Oct 2025 By Sapan News Desk New Delhi / Berlin / Karachi / Southasia diaspora — Last week, the story of prominent social entrepreneur Sabeen Mahmud who was shot dead in Karachi,…
Press Statements Southasia must unite: Sapan webinar highlights ways to tackle patriarchal resistance in Bangladesh and beyond 1 Jul 20251 Jul 2025 PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 29, 2025: The growing resistance to feminist causes in Bangladesh and its implications for the broader struggle for women’s rights across Southasia, catalysing the…
Press Statements… Young Southasians and Experts Converge in a Powerful Dialogue on Water, War, and Climate justice 18 Jun 202530 Jun 2025 press statement / for immediate release In a time of deepening ecological emergencies and political fragmentation, the Southasia Peace Action Network (Sapan) hosted a landmark virtual discussion titled “A shared…
Events… With Conflict Dominating Public Narrative, Young Southasians Reimagine Peace across Borders 15 Jun 202530 Jun 2025 Unfazed by the dominant narrative focusing on conflict, a small group of teens and young adults convened by by the Southasia Peace Action Network or Sapan, is quietly working together…
Press Statements… ‘Peacemongers’ Call for Renewed People-to-People Engagement Between India and Pakistan 21 May 202530 Jun 2025 Virtual gatherings underscore urgency of fostering regional peace through dialogue, particularly involving youth 21 May 2025 – The recent conflict between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have raised alarm bells throughout…
Press Statements… Appeal for India and Pakistan to Stop Hostilities and Talk Gains Global Traction 20 May 202530 Jun 2025 Nearly 7,500 have signed the petition demanding de-escalation, dialogue, and regional peace for Southasia* An urgent call for peace between India and Pakistan issued has gained thousands of supporters since…
Press Statements… India-Pakistan: Justice, not militarisation, must guide the region’s future 13 May 202530 Jun 2025 Sapan statement on the India-Pakistan situation: Justice, not militarisation, must guide the region’s future Issued by: Southasia Peace Action Network 12 May 2025 Unequivocally condemning violence and the targetting of…
Press Statements Democracy in Debt: Sri Lanka Beyond the Headlines, A Film by Beena Sarwar Supported by the Pulitzer Center 24 Jul 202418 Nov 2024 PRESS RELEASE Documentary on Sri Lanka by Pakistani journalist supported by the Pulitzer Center to be screened in Colombo Screening and Panel Discussion by FactumScope Cinemas, Colombo City CentreThursday, July…
Press Statements Unity in Diversity: Promoting Peaceful Coexistence in Southasia through Art, Academics, Journalism and Law 14 Jun 202415 Jun 2024 “Borders may divide us, but Zoom unites us”, quipped Shehzad Ghias Sheikh, host of the popular podcast ‘The Pakistan Experience’, introducing a lineup of speakers from diverse backgrounds at an…
Press Statements Exploring Southasian identity and diversity – of the youth, for the youth, and by the youth 24 May 202416 Dec 2024 What does it mean to be Southasian? A versatile and passionate group of young people gathered at the Southasia Peace Action Network (Sapan) platform last month to explore this question.…
Events… Unity in Diversity: Promoting Peaceful Coexistence in Southasia 18 May 202422 May 2024 The Southasia Peace Action Network, Sapan, is thrilled to announce our upcoming discussion, on Unity in Diversity: Promoting Peaceful Coexistence in Southasia. This is the 25th in the Sapan Series:…
Press Statements ‘Hum Baat Karte Rahenge!’ – We will keep talking, assert Southasia peace activists 3 Apr 20243 Apr 2024 A diverse, intergenerational group of ‘peacemongers’ gathered online last Sunday to commemorate three years of the voluntary, regional Southasia Peace Action Network, pay tribute to those whose work they are…
Press Statements Sapan in the news: Opinion piece in Holland’s largest paper 8 Feb 202422 Mar 2024 The Volkskrant (People’s Newspaper), the Netherlands' largest paper carried an oped featuring the Southasia Peace Action Network (Sapan), on Feb. 6 The article in Dutch is online here: https://www.volkskrant.nl/columns-opinie/opinie-hoe-kun-je-meer-begrip-kweken-tussen-twee-naties-als-de-inwoners-ervan-elkaar-nooit-ontmoeten~bcfc155a Translation below:…
Press Statements Sapan Webinar Addresses Refugee Issues in South Asia 16 Nov 202317 Nov 2023 Leading experts and advocates around the region convene to discuss the plight of refugees and find solutions A webinar titled "Refugee Crisis in Southasia" brought together prominent experts, activists, and…
Press Statements Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle, Washington 21 Oct 202321 Oct 2023 The world’s only Oscar-qualifying South Asian film festival - Tasveer Film Festival, celebrated its opening night in person on October 12, 2023, in Seattle, Washington. The virtual segment of the…
Press Statements Sapan hosts webinar on ways to combat trafficking of women in Southasia 29 Jul 20232 Aug 2023 “Human trafficking is caused by the intersection of sexism and poverty,” observes Ruchira Gupta, author of the recently released I Kick and I Fly and founder of the survivor organisation…
Events… Fundraiser: Watch ‘Zindagi Tamasha’, meet actor Samiya Mumtaz, producer Sarmad Khoosat 19 Jul 202327 Jul 2023 Donate $50 or more to see this award-winning film; $100 or more to see the film PLUS meet the filmmaker and lead actress online! The film is still banned in…
Press Statements… Patriarchy and the problem of gender representation in Southasian films and television 13 Jun 2023 The culture of patriarchy and gender discrimination is endemic across the Southsian film and television industry, and stakeholders are not doing enough to change the status quo. Whether it’s regressive…
Press Statements… Southasia Peace Action Network condemns Poonch attack, supports Pakistani foreign minister’s India visit 25 Apr 202325 Apr 2023 25 April 2023: We at Sapan, Southasia Peace Action Network, strongly condemn the cowardly, criminal and murderous attack on an Indian Army vehicle in Poonch last Thursday that killed five…
Press Statements… Resolution: Convene SAARC summit 29 Mar 202322 Dec 2023 Urging governments in Southasia to work towards convening an official SAARC Summit at the earliest 26 March 2023: We at Southasia Peace Action Network, Sapan, urge governments in Southasia to…
Press Statements Call For Music Composers: Seeking entries for Sapan, the Southasia Peace Action Network 16 Dec 202222 Jan 2023 Dec. 15, 2022: The Southasia Peace Action Network and the Sapan News Network syndicated features service are looking for a signature music piece to use in our media and communication.…
Events… Event, Nov 27- Beyond Partitions: Shared Histories, Ways Forward 16 Nov 202227 Nov 2022 1947 marked the end of British colonial rule in the Indian subcontinent and paved the way for the partition of India and the formation of Pakistan. Twenty-four years later, the…
Press Statements… Sapan statement: Don’t accept the ‘new normal’ on Afghanistan 8 Oct 20228 Oct 2022 October 7, 2022: Southasia Peace Action Network, Sapan, condemns the suicide bombing of 30 September that killed more than 40 girls, women and others at a higher education centre in…
Climate Change… “Support Pakistan flood relief efforts”: Appeal to cricket boards ahead of Asia Cup final 7 Sep 202224 Jan 2025 On 07 September 2022, ahead of the Asia Cup final, the Southasia Peace Action Network, Sapan, emailed the cricket boards, appealing for their involvement in Pakistan flood relief. Here is…
Climate Change… Sapan Appeal: Southasian solidarity and support for flood-devastated Pakistan 7 Sep 202224 Jan 2025 See fundraising appeals by trusted organisations and collectives engaged in relief operations on ground at this link. 07 September 2022: Calling Southasian nations to come together for flood relief and…
