The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC Asia Pacific) and the SAARC Information Centre (SIC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work jointly for the development of community broadcasting in South Asia.The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) alliance includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The AMARC-SIC MOU is based on an earlier decision made by the SAARC Standing Committee to organise SAARC level consultations and capacity building workshops on an annual basis in partnership with AMARC Asia Pacific.

Mr. Ashish Sen, President of AMARC Asia Pacific has welcomed the partnership with SIC. “The MOU will have long term and positive impact on community broadcasting in South Asia. On behalf of AMARC, I welcome the MOU and look forward to working with SIC to achieve our common objectives of advancing the community broadcasting in the sub region. Through the partnership, we hope to advocate for community radio at the highest level of policy making in South Asia,” Mr. Sen said.

As the first step of implementation of the MOU, AMARC and SIC will organize a South Asian Seminar on “Enhancing role of Community Radio and Promoting Positive Social Change”  from August 25-27 2013 in Kathmandu, Nepal. It will be participated by policy makers, community broadcasters & advocates and stakeholders of the sector from the South Asian Region.

The seminar will be informed by the first community radio stock taking seminar held by AMARC Asia Pacific earlier this year from in January 2013 in New Delhi. The upcoming seminar will review the general status of community radios since January and will focus on enhancing dialoguing between policy makers and community broadcasting advocates on the primary concern areas forwarded by the New Delhi consultation, namely, policy/legislation, sustainability, technology/access, and knowledge/capacity. Detail information about the Seminar will be released shortly.

Mr. Suman Basnet, Regional Coordinator of AMARC Asia Pacific and Mr. Laxmi Bilas Koirala, Director of SAARC Information Centre signed the MOU on behalf of their respective organizations.

For more information, please contact Suman Basnet, Regional Coordinator for Asia-Pacific,  suman_basnet@asiapacific.amarc.org