NFNJ, SJF ready to host 2nd Int'l Mother Tongue Journalism Conference

NFNJ and SJF leaders at a press conference held in Kathmandu on Wednesday

The National Forum for Newar Journalists (NFNJ), in collaboration with the SAARC Journalist Forum (SJF), is set to host the Second International Mother Tongue Journalism Conference in Kathmandu on June 13–14, 2025.

At a press conference held in Kathmandu, NFNJ Chairperson Nripendra Lal Shrestha confirmed that preparations for the event are now fully complete. “We are ready to welcome journalists and stakeholders from across South Asia for this important dialogue on journalism in native languages,” he said.

SJF President Raju Lama announced that more than 50 journalists from SAARC member countries will attend the two-day event. The conference aims to spotlight the challenges, opportunities, and future prospects of mother tongue journalism in Nepal, South Asia, and beyond.

The inauguration ceremony will take place on June 13 at the National Nature Conservation Trust in Lalitpur. Speaker of the House of Representatives Dev Raj Ghimire and Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithivi Subba Gurung will inaugurate the event. The valedictory session is scheduled for June 14 at Thimi Banquet, Bhaktapur, and will be graced by Deputy Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh.

Organizing committee President Sunil Maharjan and FONIJ Secretary General Sameer Balami also confirmed that all logistical and technical arrangements have been finalized.

The conference will feature a series of panel discussions on various aspects of indigenous language journalism, with participation from seasoned media professionals, scholars, and policymakers. Topics will include the preservation of linguistic heritage, digital journalism in mother tongues, and the role of community media.

In a special recognition segment, five journalists from Nepal, India, and Bangladesh will be honored for their outstanding contributions to the promotion of journalism in their native languages.

Two senior journalists from Bangladesh — Md Abdur Rahman, central secretary general of SJF, and Rafiqul Islam Azad, former president of Dhaka Reporters Unity — have already arrived in Nepal ahead of the conference.

The inaugural International Mother Tongue Journalist Conference was held in 2024, setting the foundation for what is now becoming a vital annual gathering of regional media voices.