Proposal

APrIGF 2026 Session Proposal Submission Form
Part 1 - Lead Organizer
Contact Person
Mr. Suman Basnet
Email
Organization / Affiliation (Please state "Individual" if appropriate) *
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), Asia-Pacific
Designation
Regional Director
Gender
Male
Economy of Residence
Nepal
Stakeholder Group
Civil Society
List Your Organizing Partners (if any)
1) Mr. A. H. M. Bazlur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC). Email: ceo@bnnrc.net. Phone: +8801711881647. Website: https://www.bnnrc.net.

2) Ms. Arti Jaiman, Station DIrector, Community Radio Gurgaon ki Awaaz, 27 Electronic City, Udyog Vihar Sector 18, Gurgaon 122015, India. Email: artijaiman@gmail.com. Phone: +91 98111 26336. Website: http://www.trfindia.org.
Part 2 - Session Proposal
Session Title
Community Radio in the Digital Era: Strengthening Internet Resilience and Trusted Communication in South Asia
Thematic Track of Your Session

  • Option

    • Primary: Digital Resilience and Building of Trust
    • Secondary: Universal and Meaningful Connectivity
Session Format
Roundtable (60 minutes)
Where do you plan to organize your session?
Hybrid (with onsite moderator and speakers both online and offline, with online moderator for questions and comments from remote participants)
Specific Issues for Discussion
As communities across South Asia become increasingly dependent on digital technologies, crises such as natural disasters, climate emergencies, conflicts, misinformation, cyber incidents, and connectivity disruptions expose vulnerabilities in both Internet infrastructure and information ecosystems. This session will examine how community radio can strengthen digital resilience by complementing Internet-based communication systems with trusted, locally relevant, and inclusive communication before, during, and after crises.

The discussion will explore how community radio combines broadcasting with digital platforms, including online streaming, social media, messaging applications, and mobile technologies, to expand access to timely and reliable information. It will examine the role of community media in strengthening information integrity, promoting local language communication, countering misinformation, and ensuring that underserved communities remain connected when digital access is limited or disrupted.

Participants will also discuss the challenges community broadcasters face in the digital era, including affordability, digital literacy, infrastructure limitations, and the need for supportive policy and regulatory frameworks. The session will identify opportunities for collaboration among community media, policymakers, technical communities, civil society organisations, and other Internet governance stakeholders to build more resilient, inclusive, and people-centred communication ecosystems.

By bringing community media perspectives into Internet governance discussions, the session will contribute to APrIGF 2026’s focus on Digital Resilience and Building of Trust while advancing Universal and Meaningful Connectivity through practical, community-driven approaches.
Describe the Relevance of Your Session to APrIGF
As communities across South Asia increasingly depend on digital technologies for information, participation, and access to public services, crises such as natural disasters, climate emergencies, conflicts, misinformation, cyber incidents, and connectivity disruptions expose significant vulnerabilities in communication systems. While discussions on Internet resilience often focus on technical infrastructure, this session will examine the equally important role of trusted, community-based communication in ensuring that people continue to access reliable information during times of crisis.

The discussion will explore how community radio complements Internet-based communication through trusted local content, community participation, local language broadcasting, and the integration of digital platforms such as online streaming, social media, mobile applications, and messaging services. It will examine how community broadcasters are adapting to the digital environment while addressing challenges related to digital inclusion, misinformation, affordability, digital literacy, and access to resilient communication channels.

Participants will discuss how collaboration between community media, governments, technical communities, civil society, and other Internet governance stakeholders can strengthen digital resilience and build public trust. Particular attention will be given to practical approaches for ensuring meaningful connectivity for underserved communities and for integrating community media into broader digital resilience and emergency communication strategies.

The discussion will contribute to APrIGF 2026’s focus on Digital Resilience and Building of Trust, while demonstrating how community-centred communication can advance Universal and Meaningful Connectivity during times of crisis.
Methodology / Agenda (Please add rows by clicking "+" on the right)
Time frame (e.g. 5 minutes, 20 minutes, should add up to the time limit of your selected session format) Description
5 min Introduction and framing. The moderator welcomes participants, introduces the session objectives, explains their relevance to APrIGF 2026’s theme and selected tracks, outlines the discussion format, and invites active participation from both onsite and online participants.
25 min Roundtable dialogue. Five invited speakers (approximately 5 minutes each) representing different stakeholder groups provide brief perspectives on how community radio contributes to trusted communication, digital resilience, and meaningful connectivity during times of crisis. The moderator facilitates the discussion, draws connections between interventions, and poses follow-up questions where appropriate.
25 min Interactive discussion. The moderator invites questions and comments from onsite and online participants. An online moderator monitors remote participation and relays questions to ensure balanced engagement. The discussion focuses on practical experiences, policy implications, and opportunities for collaboration between community media and Internet governance stakeholders.
5 min Key messages and closing. The moderator summarises the main discussion points, highlights practical recommendations, and identifies possible follow-up actions for community media networks, policymakers, and the wider Internet governance community.
Moderators & Speakers Info (Please complete where possible) - (Required)

  • Moderator (Primary)

    • Name: Suman Basnet
    • Organization: AMARC Asia-Pacific
    • Designation: Regional Director
    • Gender: Male
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Nepal
    • Stakeholder Group: Civil Society
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/suman-basnet-65023894/

  • Moderator (Facilitator)

    • Stakeholder Group: Select One
    • Expected Presence: Select One
    • Status of Confirmation: Select One

  • Speaker 1

    • Name: Arti Jaiman
    • Organization: Community Radio Gurgaon ki Awaaz
    • Designation: Station Director
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: India
    • Stakeholder Group: Civil Society
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/arti-jaiman-4833b96/

  • Speaker 2

    • Name: Dr. Ramnath Bhat
    • Organization: AMARC Asia-Pacific
    • Designation: President
    • Gender: Male
    • Economy / Country of Residence: India
    • Stakeholder Group: Civil Society
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramnath-bhat-0700b12a9/

  • Speaker 3

    • Name: Ananda Gautam
    • Organization: Internet Society Nepal Chapter (Open Internet Nepal)
    • Designation: Co-founder
    • Gender: Male
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Nepal
    • Stakeholder Group: Civil Society
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ananda-gautam/

  • Speaker 4

    • Name: A. H. M. Bazlur Rahman
    • Organization: Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
    • Designation: Chief Executive Officer
    • Gender: Male
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Bangladesh
    • Stakeholder Group: Civil Society
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Select One
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/bazlu/

  • Speaker 5

    • Name: Shita Laksmi
    • Organization: Free-lancing (internet governance consultant)
    • Designation: Consultant
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Indonesia
    • Stakeholder Group: Civil Society
    • Expected Presence: Online
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed
    • Link of Bio (URL only): https://www.linkedin.com/in/shita-laksmi-83893422/
Please explain the rationale for choosing each of the above contributors to the session.
The proposed contributors have been selected to ensure a balanced multistakeholder discussion that reflects the session’s focus on digital resilience, trusted communication, and meaningful connectivity. The panel brings together expertise from community broadcasting, Internet governance, civil society, media development, and digital inclusion across South Asia. Community radio practitioners will provide practical experience from local communication during crises and community engagement. Internet governance expertise will connect these experiences with broader digital resilience and connectivity discussions. Civil society representatives will contribute perspectives on inclusion, human rights, and community participation. The panel also reflects regional diversity and gender balance, ensuring that discussions are grounded in practical experience while generating policy-relevant recommendations for the APrIGF community.
Has AI been used to develop this proposal?
Yes
How:
Yes. AI was used to assist with drafting and language refinement. All ideas, content, and final decisions are those of the proposer.
Please declare if you have any potential conflict of interest with the Program Committee 2026.
No
Are you or other session contributors planning to apply for the APrIGF Fellowship Program 2026?
No
Upon evaluation by the Program Committee, your session proposal may only be selected under the condition that you will accept the suggestion of merging with another proposal with similar topics. Please state your preference below:
Yes, I am willing to work with another session proposer on a suggested merger.
APrIGF offers live transcripts in English for all sessions. Do you need any disability related requirements for your session? APrIGF makes every effort to be a fully inclusive and accessible event, and will do the best to fulfill your needs.
There is no additional accessibility requirement at this time. We appreciate the provision of live English transcripts and will inform the organisers if any specific accessibility needs arise.
Number of Attendees (Please fill in numbers)
    Gender Balance in Moderators/Speakers (Please fill in numbers)
      Consent
      I agree that my data can be submitted to forms.for.asia and processed by APrIGF organizers for the program selection of APrIGF 2026.