The declaration of the 2nd International Mother Tongue Journalist Conference was officially submitted to the United Nations on Thursday, in a bid to strengthen global recognition and support for journalism in indigenous and native languages.
Raju Lama, President of the SAARC Journalist Forum (SJF), and Nripendra Lal Shrestha, President of the National Federation of Nepalese Journalists (NFNJ), jointly handed over the declaration to Simrika Sharma, the UN representative in Nepal. The handover ceremony took place in the presence of other NFNJ leaders, including Raju Napit and Srijana Newa.
Simrika Sharma expressed appreciation for the initiative, noting that the United Nations is open to collaboration with both NFNJ and SJF in promoting journalism in mother tongues across Nepal and South Asia. “The United Nations is positive about working with NFNJ and SJF in advancing the cause of mother tongue journalism,” she said, praising the organisations' dedication to preserving linguistic diversity through responsible journalism.
The declaration, which emerged from the two-day international conference held on 13–14 June 2025, outlines a set of recommendations to empower native language media practitioners, support media pluralism, and promote linguistic rights in the region. It calls for greater institutional support, training, policy reform, and global partnerships to sustain mother tongue journalism.
During the meeting, SJF President Raju Lama provided a detailed overview of the conference’s goals, urging the UN to back initiatives that aim to safeguard journalistic rights and freedom of expression in native languages. “This is not just about preserving culture—it is about giving voice to communities that remain underrepresented in mainstream media,” he said.
NFNJ President Nripendra Lal Shrestha echoed similar sentiments, stating, “We request the United Nations to endorse and support the spirit of this declaration, which reflects the aspirations of thousands of journalists working in their mother tongues.”
Both leaders stressed that the declaration represents a collective call for action from media professionals across South Asia and beyond, who believe that inclusive journalism must embrace linguistic diversity to strengthen democracy and cultural identity.
The submission marks a step forward in engaging international institutions in the movement for linguistic inclusion in journalism—a cause that has gained momentum in recent years as part of broader efforts to protect minority languages worldwide.
