Staff Correspondent

The 3rd International Indigenous Language Journalism Conference 2026 kicked off at Rastriya Sabha Griha in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Nepal's Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobita Gautam inaugurated the four-day event, while Education and Science Minister Dasmit Pokharel attended as the special guest.

Presided over by Lucky Chaudhary, President of the Federation of Nepal Indigenous Journalists (FONIJ), the inauguration was also addressed by Newar Journalists President Nripendra Lal Shrestha and SAARC Journalist Forum Secretary General Md Abdur Rahman.
This year’s conference is themed "Indigenous Language Journalism for Cultural Diversity, Climate Justice, and Inclusive Democracy."

Delegates from across 26 countries are participating in the event, which features multiple technical sessions focusing on indigenous rights, state policies, and the status of native-language media.
Discussions during the opening sessions centered on global experiences under the UN's "International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032)", the role of Nepal’s Language Commission, and existing legal frameworks for news media.

A delegation from Bangladesh is taking part in the conference, led by Md Ziaur Rahman, Special Correspondent of Dainik Aajkal.

The Bangladeshi team includes editors, senior journalists, and faculty members from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology (ADUST).

The opening day concluded with the screening of a documentary produced by Farhad Alam, lecturer at ADUST, highlighting the struggles of an uncompromising journalist.