Kathmandu - A moment of pride for Nepal’s media and digital rights community was marked this morning at the Digital Rights Conference in Kathmandu, where Laxman D. Pant, Founding Chair of Media Action Nepal, was formally honored following his election as Deputy Chair of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD).
The felicitation was organized by the Digital Freedom Coalition and was conferred by Hon. Dr. Nahakul Subedi, Judge at the Supreme Court of Nepal. The ceremony took place in the distinguished presence of Ms. Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nepal, and Prof. Rohan Samarajiva, Chair of LIRNEasia, underscoring the international and national significance of the occasion.
Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, speakers acknowledged Mr. Pant’s long-standing contribution to strengthening independent media, promoting digital rights, and advancing evidence-based media development in Nepal and beyond. His election to the leadership of GFMD - a global network of organizations working to support journalism, media freedom, and sustainable media systems - was described as a recognition of Nepal’s growing engagement in global media governance.
The Digital Rights Conference itself focused on emerging challenges related to freedom of expression, digital inclusion, and responsible governance in the digital age. The recognition of Mr. Pant’s new role was seen as aligning closely with the conference’s broader objectives of safeguarding democratic values and strengthening media institutions in a rapidly evolving information landscape.
Participants noted that Mr. Pant’s leadership at GFMD is expected to amplify voices from the Global South and contribute to more inclusive and rights-based media development discussions at the international level.
