190 Videos Showcase How Youth, Culture and Technology Can Build Bridges Across Borders
Hyderabad, August 13, 2026: A powerful message of peace, friendship and regional solidarity emerged from the 2nd Southasian Commemoration of Doyens of Peace, held on August 12, with youth, artists, educators, civil society representatives and prominent South Asians coming together through digital platforms to celebrate the region’s shared heritage and cultural bonds.
Held under the theme “Digital Stages – Shared Heritage: Youth Connecting Southasia through Culture and Tech,” the hybrid programme brought together creative contributions from across South Asia. Around 190 videos, ranging from three to 12 minutes, were created and submitted by young people between the ages of 13 and 30, along with prominent South Asians.
The programme demonstrated how digital technology can transcend geographical and political boundaries and provide a common platform for people from different countries to collaborate, exchange cultural expressions and strengthen people-to-people relationships.
Artists from Bhutan, India and Pakistan Collaborate Across Digital Stages
One of the most distinctive features of the programme was the co-creation of cultural videos by teams from different South Asian countries.
In one such collaboration, Juveria and Irma from Pakistan performed Kathak, Odissi and Manipuri dance forms, while Nihita and Pranava from India sang the iconic song “Bol Ke Lab Azaad Hai Tere.”
In another collaboration highlighting the region’s shared connection with nature and culture, Niharika Kidambi and Nivedita Kidambi from India performed Kuchipudi to a song on Mother Earth written and sung by Dema Lhamo, Lekhi Zengmo and Jamyang Selden from Bhutan.
These collaborations demonstrated that cultural traditions can serve as powerful bridges between communities, with technology providing new avenues for artists and young people to create together despite being separated by national borders.
Commemorating Three Doyens of Peace
The programme commemorated the contributions of three individuals who have worked for peace and social justice in South Asia — Admiral Ramdas, former Chief of the Indian Navy; Karamat Ali, labour rights and peace activist from Pakistan; and Tapan Bose, peace activist from India.
The event sought to recognise their contributions to the promotion of peace and dialogue in the region while encouraging a new generation to carry forward the values of cooperation, justice and peaceful coexistence.
Eight-Hour Digital Programme Connects Voices Across South Asia
The eight-hour programme was organised in two major parts.
The first part featured the live streaming of 14 top youth-created videos, while the second part presented 60 videos from across South Asia through live digital broadcasts.
The live sessions included reflections from young people below the age of 30, interactions with video creators, discussions moderated by 12 moderators, and interventions by students and members of the public who joined the programme online.
The Youth Panel represented a broad cross-section of South Asia, with members including Shahrbanoo Rezayee from Afghanistan, Lutfa Khan from Bangladesh, Dema Lhamo from Bhutan, Aisha Maaz from India, Ahamad Raza from Pakistan, Aradhya Yadav from Nepal and Mohammed Nasreen from Sri Lanka.
Ms. Khushi Kabir of Bangladesh delivered the inaugural address, while Ms. Lalita Ramdas, former Chair of Greenpeace International, shared reflections on interviews with prominent South Asians featured in the programme. She also highlighted the promise demonstrated by young people across the region for greater collaboration, integration and development.
300-Page eBook Released
A major highlight of the event was the release of a 300-page eBook documenting the creative contributions made for the programme. The publication brings together videos created by young people as well as interviews and contributions from prominent South Asians.
The eBook was released by Lalita Ramdas and Rita Manchanda of India, Sheema Kermani of Pakistan, Omer Selab of Afghanistan, Maneesh Yadav of Nepal, Dema Lhamo of Bhutan and Lutfa Pathan of Bangladesh.
Schools and Colleges Join the Hybrid Programme
The initiative also witnessed significant participation from educational institutions and civil society organisations.
Institutions in several South Asian countries organised live screenings and hybrid programmes for students and community members. In Hyderabad alone, more than 15 schools and colleges organised hybrid programmes, enabling students to watch the live event online and interact with panel members and moderators.
The participation of educational institutions underscored the importance of engaging young people in conversations around peace, regional cooperation, cultural heritage and responsible use of technology.
Youth at the Centre of a Shared South Asian Vision
The videos and interviews presented during the programme conveyed a strong and unified vision of South Asia as a region bound together by shared heritage, culture, history, traditions and common human values, despite political and geographical boundaries.
A central message emerging from the programme was that young people can play a decisive role in strengthening regional cooperation. Through creativity, technology and compassion, youth can help preserve cultural heritage, promote peace and address challenges facing communities across the region.
The programme also highlighted the potential of digital platforms to create meaningful connections among people who may otherwise have limited opportunities to interact across borders.
Message of Peace, Dialogue and People-to-People Connections
The overall essence of the 190 videos was a hopeful call for strengthening peace and regional solidarity through friendship, dialogue, education, cultural exchange, responsible technology and people-to-people connections.
The programme portrayed South Asia not merely as a collection of neighbouring countries but as a region with deep cultural and historical connections. It emphasised that young people can become important agents of change by using technology to build bridges rather than barriers.
The initiative concluded with a message that a more peaceful, inclusive, connected, cooperative and prosperous South Asia can be built when its people, particularly its youth, come together to celebrate their common heritage and work collectively towards a shared future.
Moderators and Programme Partners
The 12 live sessions were moderated by Lutfa Pathan (Bangladesh), Om Yadav (Nepal), Malala Safi and Omer Selab (Afghanistan), and Vijay Bharatiya, Lalit Saini, Dr. Shobha Perindevi, Aparna Adhikari, Moinuddin Ali, Syed Jaffer Hussain Quadri and Bharatesh Kidambi (India).
The programme was implemented with the support of core partners from across the region.
From Afghanistan, the core partners included Fazal Rabbi, Abid Humayun and Alka Ahmadi; from Bangladesh, Khushi Kabir, S.M. Shaikat, Lutfa Pathan and Mirza Sium Masud; and from Bhutan, Dr. Nima and Dema Lhamo.
From India, the implementation partners included MANZIL, CYDA, COVA, Lalita Ramdas, M. A. Kaleem, Naziya Begum, Shaker Ali, M. A. Khaled, Naseem Begum and Vijay Bharatiya.
The Pakistan team included Mohammad Tahseen, Noureen Jamshaid, Sheema Kermani, Beena Sarwar, Fouzia, Diep and Ahmad Raza. From Maldives, the partners were Anwar Ahmed, Fathimath and Nahid; from Nepal, Arjun Thapa, Om Yadav, Aradhya Yadav, Bidhi Adhikari and Pratham Pradhan; and from Sri Lanka, Nimalka Fernando and Mohammed Nasreen.
Rida Mahmood of MS Group of Institutions welcomed participants and introduced the programme.
The 2nd Southasian Commemoration of Doyens of Peace thus emerged as a significant digital platform demonstrating how shared heritage, youth participation, cultural expression and technology can connect hearts across South Asia and create new possibilities for peace and regional cooperation.