Responsible journalism can play an important role in strengthening peace, trust and cooperation among South Asian countries, speakers said at an international conference in New Delhi.

The conference, titled "Role of Journalism in Peace Making and Cooperation in South Asian Countries", was held on February 8 at the New Delhi campus of the Bharati Vidyapeeth Educational Complex, according to a press release.

The event was organised with the cooperation of the SAARC Journalists Forum India Chapter and presided over by Dr M Huda, director of the institution and a computer scientist.

SAARC Journalists Forum President Raju Lama attended as chief guest.

Other participants included SJF Secretary General Abdur Rahman, India Chapter President Dr Aniruddha Shudhanshu, India Chapter member Dr Smita Mishra and Bangladesh Chapter Vice President Asif Hasan Nabi.

Journalists, researchers, human rights activists, cultural personalities, teachers and students also participated in the programme.

Forum members Rinzin Wangchuk of Bhutan and Pakistan Chapter General Secretary Husnain Chaudhary joined the conference through video messages.

JOURNALISM AS A BRIDGE FOR REGIONAL TRUST

Asif Hasan Nabi presented the keynote paper at the conference.

He said South Asian countries share significant geographical, economic and cultural connections, but regional cooperation through SAARC remains stagnant.

Against that background, he argued that journalists could contribute to overcoming geopolitical divisions by helping build trust and understanding among people across the region.

Nabi said journalism should not be viewed solely as a mechanism for distributing news. Responsible reporting can also contribute to peace-building, public dialogue and the formation of informed public opinion, he said.

He warned that irresponsible reporting could increase tension and misunderstanding, while careful journalism could help reduce misconceptions and create space for dialogue.

FAKE NEWS A CHALLENGE TO REGIONAL PEACE

The conference also focused on challenges created by the digital information environment.

Nabi said fake news and misinformation pose significant risks to regional peace and stressed the importance of fact-checking, professional ethics and restrained language in news reporting.

Other speakers similarly called for greater interaction among journalists from South Asian countries.

They said regular dialogue and professional cooperation among media professionals could contribute to regional peace, stability and mutual understanding.

The conference also emphasised the importance of promoting peace journalism and improving professional standards across the South Asian media sector.