The event brings together journalists and researchers from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the US, to discuss a range of topics: from media’s role in internal conflicts to how to reduce cross-border conflict and combat extremism; from South Asia’s nuclear standoff to how to stimulate the continent’s economies and relations through trade; from the difficulties created by the involvement of foreign powers in the region to the challenges of improving South Asian media coverage on South Asia.

Anja Kovacs will be a panellist in the session on ​‘Strengthening South Asia’s Democracies and Economies’ during the meeting. She will address in particular not only the promise but also the challenges that the Internet holds for democracies across the South Asian region.