As a first-time attendee of the festival, Shomira Sanyal, 19, a Commonwealth Correspondent from New Delhi in India says that she was thoroughly spoiled in attending the Jaipur Literature Festival, Asia’s largest and the world’s biggest free lit-fest. The city of Jaipur recently saw literature enthusiasts from all corners of the world coming to attend …

“Festival offers the high-lit of the literary season!” Read More »

The disappearance of a Malaysian Airlines jet earlier this month gripped attention around the world. Muhammad Hafiz, 19, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, reports on the latest news briefings related to that mystery.    It’s 17 days and counting since March 8, 2014. The Malaysia-based Malaysia Airlines airplane which was supposed to …

"17 days (and counting)…. " Read More »

Behaviour can be a reaction to stereotypes, but as Harmanan Singh, 17, a Correspondent from Mumbai in India writes, there is much to learn from looking beyond first impressions. It was yet another crowded, packed day at the railway station. I scuttled with a million others as I took the eternal climb on the staircase …

"To the kid at the station: you taught me a lesson!" Read More »

Videos of people taking the ice bucket challenge are everywhere on social media, but Madusha Erandi, 21, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Sri Lanka, asks whether other causes aren’t equally deserving of the awareness and money being raised. As all of us know by now that the Ice Bucket challenge has been viral on social media and …

"Ice bucket challenge – is it really that 'awesome'?" Read More »

Public libraries are usually considered to be temples of knowledge, but Harmanan Singh, 17, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Mumbai in India, argues that when it comes to author rights libraries are pirates. Piracy – we all know what it means, right?  Administrations around the globe will tell you that it is the illegal sharing of content …

"Libraries are pirates – we need public lending rights" Read More »

The popularity of Indian television and fashion is having an impact on Bangladesh’s language, film industry and even cultural celebrations, writes Abdullah Al Hasan, 23, a Correspondent from Dhaka in Bangladesh, who argues that response is in the hands of Bangladesh’s consumers. Globalization has opened many ways to explore extraneous cultures, and gives Bangladesh an amazing …

"Does Indian culture pose a threat to Bangladesh?" Read More »

Bangladeshi musicians are venturing on to the world stage, but as Abdullah Al Hasan, 23, a Correspondent from Dhaka in Bangladesh writes, audio piracy is threatening that progress. The peregrination of Bangladeshi music commenced a long way back. Through this trek Bangladesh has amassed many talented singers and musicians who are celebrated not only in Bangladesh …

"Audio piracy ends the journey of Bangladeshi music" Read More »

Young artists are bringing new ideas to India’s arts scene, writes Mridul Upadhyay, 23, a Commonwealth Correspondent from New Delhi in India, as he explores the works of four creative young people. Either in the form of first-ever language comprising pictorial alphabets or Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions, art leads the civilizations. It has been affected by …

"Artists and art use new concepts and materials" Read More »

Looking past the stereotypes of a culture can reveal the benefits of traditional ways, writes Zainab Shamim Potrick, 22, a Correspondent from Karachi in Pakistan. I belong to a very simple religion. I can hardly find things like mores, traditions or culture in my religion. On the other hand my identity, my country Pakistan, exists …

"The power of culture to create a better future" Read More »

Video games are part of the popular culture, but as Harnoor Gill, 17, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Georgetown in Canada writes, there are pros and cons to electronic recreation. Ever since I was little, I have always been given the opportunity of interacting with technology in everyday tasks. My first encounters would be with computers, television sets, …

“Video games – the cool and the not cool!” Read More »