The South Asia Economic Students Meet (SAESM) is the first experience of regional cooperation for many students who attend the annual event. SAESM is based on European student exchanges after World War II to rebuild national relationships and influence future leaders to promote regional cooperation and peace initiatives.

South Asia lags the rest of the globe in intraregional investments largely because of trade barriers. The success of three manufacturers -- Dabur Nepal, Unilever Nepal, and Reliance Spinning Mills -- demonstrate the potential to scale up exports to the large neighboring Indian market or attract more Indian investment.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a unique regional institution with board members from eight Himalayan nations: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. ICIMOD looks beyond political boundaries to focus its research on the threat of climate change to the mountains.

An exhibition of Pakistan's famous lawn cotton in New Delhi in 2012 was an immediate hit with Indian consumers, marking a brief softening in trade relations between the two nations. Pakistani fashion designers and manufacturers quickly connected with Indian distributors and retailers to meet the pent-up demand. 

Menstruation pads sold in stores are expensive luxuries in South Asia, where many women instead use rags. An Indian husband designed low-cost machinery that empowers poor women to take charge of their own menstrual health and earn an income. More than 5,000 of the small manufacturing sites now exist. 

Music connects people in a way like no other. The South Asian Symphony Orchestra and the South Asian Bands Festival have provided platforms to feature talented musicians from the region while helping bridge political divisions and build understanding.