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The 3rd International Indigenous Language Journalism Conference 2026 began in Kathmandu on Monday, bringing together journalists, academics and media professionals to discuss the rights of indigenous communities and the role of indigenous-language journalism in promoting cultural diversity and inclusive democracy.
Nepal’s Law and Justice Minister Sobita Gautam inaugurated the four-day conference at Rastriya Sabha Griha in the capital. Education and Science Minister Dasmit Pokharel attended the opening ceremony as the special guest.
The conference was chaired by Lucky Chaudhary, president of the Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities Journalists (FoNIJ). Nripendra Lal Shrestha, president of the Newar Journalists Association, and Md Abdur Rahman, secretary general of the Central Committee of the SAARC Journalist Forum, among others, addressed the inaugural session.
This year’s conference is being held under the theme “Indigenous Language Journalism for Cultural Diversity, Climate Justice, and Inclusive Democracy.”
Delegates from 26 countries are participating in the international gathering, with two major technical sessions held on the opening day.
The first session focused primarily on the rights of indigenous peoples and government policies concerning indigenous communities.
The second session examined the current status and challenges of indigenous-language journalism in Nepal. Participants also exchanged views on international experiences, achievements and challenges in indigenous journalism, and the United Nations’ International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032).
Discussions also covered the role of Nepal’s Language Commission and legal and institutional frameworks governing news media.
A delegation of Bangladeshi journalists and academics is participating in the conference.
The Bangladesh delegation is led by Md Ziaur Rahman, special correspondent of Dainik Aajkal. Other members include Mushtaq Ahmed Mubarki, editor of Dainik Bongobani; Mohammad Moniruzzaman, editor of Dainik Bank Bima Arthoniti; Md Abu Bakar Siddique, senior correspondent of Dainik Aajker Provat; Panna Zaman, executive editor of Dainik Amar Bangla; Shahnaz Begum, representative of Channel-S Television Online; and Irfan Uddin Iro, reporter at Asian TV.
Three faculty members from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology in Dhaka are also taking part in the conference. They are Zubair Ahmed, coordinator of the department, Keya Bose and Farhad Alam.
The conference provides an opportunity for Bangladeshi journalists and academics to exchange experiences with international counterparts and discuss the challenges facing indigenous and mother-language journalism. Documentary highlights challenges faced by journalists
The opening day concluded with the screening of a documentary highlighting the plight of a journalist who faced difficulties for remaining honest and uncompromising in his professional work.
The documentary was produced by Farhad Alam, a lecturer in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology in Dhaka.
The documentary received a positive response from the audience, with participants appreciating its portrayal of the challenges faced by journalists committed to professional integrity and independent journalism.
The four-day conference will continue with further discussions, technical sessions and exchanges of experiences on indigenous-language journalism, cultural preservation, climate justice and inclusive democracy.
