Ever since its inception, the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature has been working ceaselessly to achieve its objective of establishing cultural connectivity in the SAARC Region. We at the Foundation worked with unremitting passion to complement the messianic zeal of its progenitor, noted writer and cultural activist Ms. Ajeet Cour. We have achieved a lot though, to use a Frostian line, “there are miles to go before we sleep.” The following is a step-by-step account of how we were able to cross numerous milestones :

1. The process of cultural connectivity in the SAARC Region was initiated FOR THE FIRST TIME by Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature in 1987. For the first time since Independence-Partition, we invited ten writers from Pakistan for the first-ever INDIAN-PAKISTANI WRITERS' CONFERENCE. For the first time we got visas issued for these writers to come to India as honoured WRITERS.

Indian and Pakistani writers of the SAARC region had not interacted with each other as contemporary wordsmiths since Partition of the country in 1947. There was no provision for writers to get NOCs and visas.

2. This gradually emerged as the first-ever, unique endeavour by a committed Non-Government Organisation.

With encouragement from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Ford Foundation and UNESCO, FOSWAL organised the FIRST-EVER SAARC WRITERS CONFERENCE in April 2000.

3. FOSWAL was registered with the specific mandate of showcasing the COMMON VOICE IN LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF THE SAARC REGION and fostering an atmosphere charged with eclectic literary and intellectual endeavours for peace and harmony.

4. “We are the mad dreamers of the SAARC region. Let governments do their political and diplomatic work. Let us, the writers and the creative fraternity of the region, endeavour to build bridges of friendship across borders and beyond borders”: declared Ajeet Cour in her first Welcome Address in April 2000.

5. Through its own resources and partial funding from Ministry of External Affairs, Ford Foundation, and the painter Arpana Caur, and collective goodwill which it was able to generate throughout the SAARC Region, FOSWAL was able to establish its CHAPTERS IN ALL THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES comprising of eminent writers, scholars and policymakers with passion for peace and tranquility in the region.

6. FOSWAL has emerged as the foremost Non-Governmental Organisation to have stimulated, inspired and motivated cultural and literary initiatives in and among SAARC countries.

7. Culture was not a part of SAARC Charter for almost one and a half decades, from 1985 to late 1999, when FOSWAL launched its First-ever SAARC Writers and Intellectuals Conference.

8. Since we were working in this field since 1987, we were invited by Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, to enliven and rejuvenate the spirit of SAARC through Cultural Initiatives and through People-to-People Contacts, and creative interactions. Consequently, the First-ever SAARC Writers Conference was organized by us in April 2000.

9. The terms which have now become household words in SAARC vocabulary, were initially coined and chiselled by us, like 'people-to-people contacts', 'confidence-building-measures' and 'cultural connectivity'.

10. After our Foundation worked for cultural connectivity at micro and macro levels, intensely and passionately, for less than two years, the officials concerned and Heads of States were convinced that the constitution of SAARC should be amended and culture should be included in the area of their activities and their serious deliberations.

11. It was precisely BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF FOSWAL that during the 11th SAARC Summit, in Kathmandu, on January 1-2, 2002, by the unanimous decision of all Heads of States of SAARC Countries and high officials of SAARC Secretariat, CULTURE WAS INCLUDED IN THE SAARC CHARTER and our Foundation was given the status of SAARC RECOGNISED BODY, the first one in the field of culture, and THE ONLY ONE in the SAARC Region which was authorized to organise all culture-related activities under the SAARC Banner and the SAARC Logo.

12. It has been the most significant achievement of FOSWAL : that during the last SAARC Summit held in New Delhi in April 2007, the SAARC Secretariat and SAARC Member Countries unanimously decided to elevate the status of FOSWAL from SAARC Recognised Body to SAARC APEX BODY.

13. The very fact of recognition by the SAARC SECRETARIAT, honouring FOSWAL as the First-ever non-government cultural body which has enlisted and organised regular participation of writers and literary cognoscenti, as also statesmen, diplomats, civil servants, mediamen, academics and others, is a recognition of the need that FOSWAL fulfils in satisfying a common thirst for freedom of speech, knowledge, creativity and peaceful co-existence among the neighbouring SAARC countries.

14. FOSWAL have consistently endeavoured to build Culture of Peace in the South Asian region since 1987, through its numerous initiatives ranging from Regional Literary and Intellectual Conferences, SAARC Cultural Initiatives, Interactions among Writers and Scholars and Peace Activists of the Region, Writers-in-Residence Programmes, a constantly updated Website, Translations of Contemporary Literature from all the SAARC countries, Publications of Translated Literary Works, Colloquiums on Human Rights and Peace, Outreach Programmes : Interactions with students in Universities and Colleges in the Region, Artists Camps, Music Festivals, Folklore Festivals.

15. FOSWAL targeted the innate sensitivities of artists, writers and intellectuals to think and to create, unfettered by political inhibitions and hesitation, bureaucratic prejudices and other established webs of patronage, above fear of any kind, to reach out to the creative fraternity of the neighbouring countries.

16. FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ! FOSWAL WORKED TO CREATE A POSITIVE, SENSITIVE, FORCEFUL VOICE FOR PEACE AND TRANQUILITY IN THE REGION.

17. The Writers' Conferences, Initiatives of Civilisational and Cultural Connectivity like SAARC Festival of Folklore, Conferences on Buddhism and Sufism, Literary Initiatives of Young Writers from across the borders, and several other cultural initiatives among the creative fraternity of the Region, have fulfilled the urgent need for accelerating the process of cultural connectivity, along with emphasis on sustainable development and economic growth, ecological and environment sensitivity, saving our common intangible and tangible heritage and focusing on and social progress of the SAARC nations. Human rights, equal rights for women, tribals, dalits, and marginalized sections of society have also been our thrust areas, and important milestones to help in making policies and strategies of respective governments which are culture-friendly.

18. For the first time, the literature of the SAARC region, through TRANSLATIONS done by FOSWAL, is being projected as a vibrant entity in the global literary and cultural scenario, because the soul of people, anywhere in the world, is reflected in its literature.

19. Common historical memories, common civilisational and cultural heritage of the region is reflected in its literature and its folklore, its myths and legends, its oral traditions, its intangible heritage. FOSWAL has endeavoured to bring all this into focus, both in India and the entire SAARC region of eight important South Asian countries, because it reflects the historical and civilisational reality and nourishes the soul in a world of unending conflict, poverty, illiteracy, lack of medical facilities, lack of social justice, and oppressed with fear of terrorism and desperation.

20. In all the countries of SAARC - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and now the new entrant Afghanistan too – the writers have formed National Centres to work under the parent umbrella organization: FOUNDATION OF SAARC WRITERS AND LITERATURE.

21. These National Chapters not only work as Coordinators for the Conferences and Seminars, Festivals of Literature, Poetry, Folklore et al, but also serve as Nodal Centres for selecting the choicest writings for translations, selecting contributions for our publications, for the SAARC Journal ‘Beyond Borders’, and for the website.

These Chapters also help in Outreach Networking with University students in the respective countries.

22. SAARC literary initiatives have been organized through the Foundation's National Chapters affiliated with FOSWAL : ‘HAWWA Associates’, and ‘Lehran Adbi Board’, Pakistan; 'Bangladesh Writers Association of FOSWAL'; 'Peredeniya University', Sri Lanka; 'Centre for Bhutan Studies', Bhutan; 'Nepal National UNESCO Academy of Literature and Culture', Nepal.

As the credibility of FOSWAL is growing, several organizations based in the SAARC Region particularly in Pakistan and Nepal , are coming forward to seek AFFILIATION with us, in addition to our already existing Chapters in these countries.

23. Realising the importance of TRANSLATIONS of contemporary creating writings, the SAARC Culture Ministers have reiterated their recommendation, in SAARC Summits of Culture Ministers over the last 5 years, year after year, that all the work of translating literary works of the SAARC region should be assigned to our FOSWAL.

24. FOSWAL has tried, for the first time ever, to bring SAARC literature to global attention, through ANTHOLOGIES which published, through the only SAARC Literary Journal 'Beyond Borders', and through an ever-expanding WEBSITE.

25. FOSWAL already has 19 full-length publications to its credit: 15 in English,1 in Hindi, and 3 in Bangla. Five of these are anthologies of fiction and poetry selected from all over the Region, translated into English. These are perhaps the first of such anthologies that bring together, under a single cover, a collection of writings from the SAARC region that highlight the similarity of concerns, agonies and ecstasies, hopes and aspirations of diverse nations, bound together in a geo-cultural entity.

26. FOSWAL is continuously engaged in translations of SAARC literature into English. FOSWAL aspire to do the same in Hindi and in SAARC languages too, aspiring to offer translations in the languages of all neighbouring countries, for enhancing and strengthening the appreciation of cultural nuances of different languages in the neighbouring countries of the SAARC region, and in other parts of the world.

27. An active and regularly updated WEBSITE www.foundationsaarcwriters.com carries at least 800 creative writings like poetry and short stories, and thought-provoking articles, especially those that have not been able to find place in any of the publications. The website gives a regular account of all the happenings in the SAARC Region, and is a powerful medium of communication about the work of the Foundation and its initiatives for peace and tranquility in the region.

28. A quarterly SAARC JOURNAL of Creative Ideas, Literature and Art, 'BEYOND BORDERS', launched with a view to sensitise readers to issues of cultural connectivity, gender sensitivity, and human rights concerns, has gained immense popularity. The editors and editorial board comprise the most eminent creative writers and profound scholars from across the SAARC region. This is the first literary journal of its kind in the SAARC region.

29. FOSWAL has been invited to curate art exhibitions in SAARC countries, and to organize film shows and plays from the SAARC region, and other cultural initiatives / programmes in India and in neighbouring countries.

30. FOSWAL is gradually evolving into a SAARC Information and Dissemination Centre for the promotion of art, literature and culture, and is now considered an umbrella organization for all cultural initiatives in the SAARC Region.

31. FOSWAL has pioneered a unique initiative – visiting political leaders, diplomats and policy makers are provided with opportunities for interaction with writers, intellectuals and media persons in the host country.

32. FOSWAL has established a SPECIAL WING to study, discuss and disseminate issues of political and security concerns pertaining to countries in India's neighbourhood. Appropriately named 'SOUTH ASIA POLITICAL', it occasionally organises seminars, workshops and discussions on the profound structural changes which keep taking place in India's neighbourhood. The first major initiative of South Asia Political, a seminar on the theme Peace in the Neighbourhood : Towards a Visionary Approach, was held on 21 September 2006 at India International Centre, New Delhi, coinciding with the UN International Peace Day; and is held on the same day, every year.

33. Periodic meetings and consultations on contemporary issues relevant to the SAARC region, are held with the representatives of the Embassies and High Commissions of member countries of SAARC, and with UN and UNESCO, from which it has got the prestigious DPI Status.

34. FOSWAL constantly keeps in touch with its vast family of authors and scholars, intellectuals and academicians, policy makers and political-economic-social analysts in the SAARC region, and shares their moments of joy, sorrow and anguish, besides sharing their elation during their Festivals and National Days.

FOSWAL engages in Constant Networking.

35. SAARC Library is gradually growing.

36. FOSWAL has become a focal point for writers, scholars and cultural activists in the SAARC region. Our friends and acquaintances rush to us even for their medical treatments. We try to help to the extent we can afford.

37. FOSWAL has succeeded to create sensitive understanding of the common concerns and common issues. And an urge to resolve long-standing bilateral disputes by meaningful and creative process of dialogue, and with a spirit of reconciliation.

38. FOSWAL believes in its extensive OUTREACH PROGRAMME which creates linkages among the youth through exchange programmes, for more awareness and understanding among the new generation, about each other.

39. FOSWAL feels elated and honoured to see its efforts bearing fruit, because when these efforts for cultural connectivity were launched in 1987, it was more or less a cry in the wilderness. Swimming against the current all these years, the current awareness about the need of cultural connectivity across the region, is like a shower of soothing rain in the scorching desert.

40. FOSWAL's Vice President Dr. Gowher Rizvi, with peripheral intellectual inputs from Ajeet Cour, finalised the road-map and modalities of the SAARC UNIVERSITY.

During the SAARC SUMMIT held in New Delhi in April 2007, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh announced the decision to set it up in Delhi.

The operational and administrative work of the SAARC University has been launched by the Vice Chancellor Dr. G.K. Chadha.

41. CREATING AWARENESS ABOUT INTANGIBLE HERITAGE OF THE SAARC REGION through continual interaction focusing on Folklore, Buddhism, Sufism, Environmental Concerns, et al.