The International Media Summit 2026 has been held in Jamalpur in Munger district of Bihar, India, with the aim to strengthen dialogue, cooperation and experience-sharing among journalists and media professionals across South Asia.
The summit was organised by the All India Journalists Union (AIJU) at Siddhi Vinayak Marriage Hall, Jamalpur, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Dr. Bhim Singh, attended the event as chief guest, while Munger MLA Pranav Kumar was present as special guest. The programme was chaired by Ranjit Samrat, National President of the All India Journalists Union.
Journalists and media professionals from five South Asian countries — Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka — participated in the summit, including Raju Lama, President of the SAARC Journalists Forum International, and Secretary General Abdur Rahman.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Singh said journalism is an important medium that connects society with information, ideas and facts, noting that international cooperation among media professionals can help make journalism more responsible and effective.
“Journalism is an important pillar of democracy. Although our borders are different, the responsibility and objective of journalists is to provide society with truth, facts and accurate information. Dialogue and cooperation among journalists in South Asia can make an important contribution to strengthening the journalism sector,” Dr. Singh said.
SAARC Journalists Forum International President Raju Lama stressed the need for regular dialogue and cooperation among journalists from South Asian nations. He said international conferences such as the Jamalpur summit give journalists an opportunity to understand each other’s experiences and collaborate on common issues.
“Relations among South Asian journalists should not be limited to the exchange of news. Cooperation is also necessary on issues such as journalists’ rights, professional safety, press freedom and common challenges facing the media sector. The conference in Jamalpur has created a new environment for such dialogue,” Lama said.
The summit was attended by SAARC Journalists Forum Nepal Chapter Convener Rudra Subedi, Co-Convener Md. Arif Ansari, Bihar Chapter President Dr. Shashi Bhushan Kumar, Madhesh Chapter Coordinator Md. Sadab Malik, and members Ramesh Chandra Kumal, Azmat Ali, Sushil Kumar Khadka, Abhilash Gupta, Pawan Prasad Sah and Arun Kalwar, along with other journalists and media professionals.
Participants discussed contemporary issues in journalism, including challenges facing the profession, developments in communication technology, professional safety of journalists, international cooperation, and ways to strengthen relations among South Asian media professionals. They also shared experiences from their respective countries and regions.
Organisers said the first international journalism summit held in Jamalpur has laid an important foundation for further strengthening mutual relations, dialogue and cooperation among journalists in South Asia.
Participating journalists said the summit brought media professionals from different countries together on a common platform and provided an opportunity to exchange views on shared issues.
They expressed hope that the conference would pave the way for more effective cooperation and regular dialogue in the days ahead.
