Conference on countering violent extremism ends

Islamabad:The conference on countering violent extremism, organised by the Community Resilience Activity - North (CRA-North) in collaboration with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism (CoECVE) and Paigham-e-Pakistan, concluded on Friday at a hotel here, says a press release.

Over three days, from March 6 to 8, the event fervently addressed the imperative role of partnerships between government agencies, civil society organisations, and international stakeholders in crafting sustainable strategies to combat violent extremism.

The conference provided a platform for engaging discussions and insightful sessions, bringing together various stakeholders, including government officials, Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA), CVE experts, academic researchers, and other stakeholders convened to chart a course towards effective counter-extremism efforts. With a focus on fostering collaboration and seeking support from government institutions, the event highlighted strategies for future programming under the mandate of the Govt of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Of notable significance were sessions that delved into harnessing the power of mass and social media platforms to disseminate narratives related to countering violent extremism and engaging educational institutions as key agents in cultivating a resilient society against violent extremism. Participants advocated for the indispensable role of educational institutions in instilling counter-extremism narratives among the younger generation. Recognizing the pivotal influence of educational environments, stakeholders underscored the importance of integrating CVE messages into academic curricula and fostering critical thinking skills among students to inoculate them against extremist ideologies.

Key highlights of the conference included comprehensive discussions on community resilience, capacity-building initiatives, and the role of education and youth engagement in countering violent extremism. The sessions delved into the importance of partnerships between government agencies, civil society organisations, and international stakeholders in developing sustainable CVE strategies by engaging through mass media and social media platforms and disseminating the message through educational institutions.