In an increasingly globalized world regional cooperation between nations and people is critical to sustained peace and prosperity. Terrorism, intolerance and hatred, threaten global peace and solidarity and curtail social and economic development.

Around the world we are witnessing the creation of regional groupings such as the European Union and the North American Free Trade Agreement. Even in South East Asia the formation of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is promoting greater economic cooperation and integration.

South Asian nations have been plagued by conflict and isolation for decades and these have severely restricted the socio-economic development of these nations. Although the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established to develop regional cooperation, it has yet to become an effective regional forum due to various political and cultural reasons.

Increasing economic integration through the process of globalization requires South Asian nations to work together to enhance cooperation and development in all sectors of activity. Yet this cooperation is just beginning and much effort has to be put to realize the full potential of such a regional cooperation.

South Asian nations have known numerous internal conflicts ranging from ethnic, religious and cultural conflicts. These very same conflicts have also led to misrepresentations and mistrust between nations.

The first urgent task therefore is to rebuild trust and understanding between the nations of South Asia. This will require a transformation of representations and attitudes between nations and people of the region.

The media can play a central role in promoting greater understanding and tolerance between the South Asian nations. The first step towards cooperation and dialogue consists of a necessary transformation of the values, perceptions and attitudes of people towards each other.

Thus the media have to be effectively harnessed to inform people across the South Asian nations of their respective traditions, cultures, religions and beliefs. The media should also provide a clear and unbiased analysis of the developments within each nation and highlight the opportunities that every nation offers in terms of bilateral and multilateral trade and economic cooperation.

The first South Asian Media Forum (SAMF) aims to provide a meeting point and a platform for media professionals and experts to discuss the role of the media in enhancing regional cooperation and dialogue. This gathering of high level experts and media industry leaders will also examine possibilities of enhancing cooperation between media institutions in South Asian nations.

The SAMF will become an annual meeting point for media institutions and professionals with two principal objectives:

1. Establish a dialogue between media institutions and professionals from across the region that will identify ways in which the media of all South Asian nations can be harnessed to enhance regional cooperation, integration and solidarity.
2. Identify mechanisms and processes which will help in the development of the media in the region through greater media exchange, capacity building and experience sharing.