Diplomats from member countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the European Union (EU) on Wednesday lauded South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA)’s efforts for peace and cooperation in South Asia and expressed their support to its future plans.
At a briefing, SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam shared with the envoys details of the association’s activities during the last 14 years since its inception.
SAFMA, an association of journalists from across South Asia, was formed on July 2, 2000, in Islamabad by the delegates attending the First South Asian Free Media Conference (SAFMC).
The founding conference created a programme, “Media Development, Freedom and Peace in South Asia”, which focused on pursuing two objectives: a) media development, the free flow of and access to information and a free, professionally competent, unbiased and independent media in the region; and (b) promoting a culture of dialogue and an environment for understanding, tolerance, peace, conflict resolution and cross-border cooperation leading towards a South Asian union, and help bring an end to the menace of extremism and terrorism.
Since then SAFMA has been established in all eight member countries of SAARC, with elected national chapters and offices in all countries of the region. The South Asia Media Centre was also established in Lahore from where the SAFMA Central Secretariat operates. It is recognised by SAARC as an associated body.
The Action Plan approved by the Information Ministers of SAARC has been implemented by SAFMA, by establishing a South Asian Media Centre, South Asian Media Net, the South Asian Journal, South Asia Media School, and various journalists’ exchanges and editors’ conferences.
