The Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA), a Delhi based think tank, organized a two-day conference of 8th South Asia Dialogue on "The Role of media in Promoting Regional Understanding in South Asia" recently.
There were participants from Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
The session mainly focused on achieving sustainable peace and security in the South Asian region.
The annual South Asia dialogue is an opportunity to bring experts from neighbouring countries and IDSA to engage policy makers, academics, civil society actors and young professionals on key concerns with an objective to achieve sustainable peace and security.
Founder of Pajhwok, a Kabul based news agency, Danish Karokhel, said the media in the war-torn country is trying to promote peace through dialogue.
"Afghan media is focusing more on how to bring peace and we are trying to convince people who are trying to involve in the problem or they are linking with terrorism. We try to convince and try to publish some article to know what has affected our life, Afghan people's life, we convince them to change their mind and join Afghan people or join Afghan community to stop their wrong activity," said Karokhel.
Afghanistan is going through a security transition and has a new government in power. There are many challenges including the economic development in the country.
"Today is an opportunity to see how best we can magnify the positive and also how we can glorify the understanding and also clear the little misunderstanding if possible through the role of the media but the media itself be an effective tool to bring the nations and the government closer," said Amrullah Saleh, a Kabul-based politician.
Amrullah said India and Afghanistan share close cultural and historical ties.
"The relationship between Afghanistan and India is very deep it has been deep throughout the history for as long as there has been time there has been relation between India and Afghanistan," said Saleh.
India has been partnering with Afghanistan in rebuilding Afghan capacities.
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