Kathmandu, Feb. 9 -- Speakers at the session "From Protests to Possibilities" at the Kantipur Conclave 2026 emphasised the role of young people in challenging oppression and demanding freedom, accountability, and social justice in their societies.

The session featured Tunisian-American singer Emel Mathlouthi, Sri Lankan journalist Kamanthi Wickramasinghe, Bangladeshi researcher Marzana Mahanaz, and Nepali Gen Z activist Tanuja Pandey.

Mathlouthi, known for her song "My Word Is Free"-which became a symbol of the 2010 Tunisian revolution or Arab Spring-said she began performing the song in 2007 to give a voice to those silenced under decades of dictatorship in Tunisia.

"I realised early on that I could be the voice for people who couldn'...