A round table discussion on the topic of education to prevent violent extremism was organized by Arigatou International Geneva on 26 September, bringing together representatives from 15 different civil society organizations, religious leaders and UN agencies working on the topic.
The event entitled “Learning to Live Together: The role of education in preventing violent extremism” aimed to identify the major challenges and opportunities stakeholders face in the prevention of violent extremism through education, and to find synergies and spaces for cooperation and joint action.
The event served as an open space for dialogue and interaction between the different actors allowing participants to gain new insights on how different organizations are responding to the difficulties encountered in their work, as well as learning from the stories of success and good practices implemented in different settings. The diversity of experiences allowed participants to share and explore possible synergies and collaboration opportunities to further their work in the field, as well as building on a diverse range of expertise in the topic.
The round table was convened by Ms. María Lucía Uribe, Director, Arigatou International Geneva. Rev. Dr. Hans Ucko, Co-chair of the Arigatou International Prayer and Action for Children Council and member of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children, opened the floor with an inspiring reflection on the topic.
Participants included representatives from Coexister Foundation, Commonwealth Jewish Council, Fondation Inter-Connaissaince, Globethics, Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies, Intercultural Communication and Leadership School, Interreligious Platform Geneva, Just Unity, Les Cites d’or, UNESCO, UNICEF, Women without Borders, World Council of Churches and World Vision International.
The conversation also served as a pre-meeting to a side event that was held the same day at the Palais des Nations, organized by Arigatou International Geneva in close collaboration with UNESCO and the Permanent Mission of Morocco to the UN in Geneva, on the occasion of the 33rd Human Rights Council.
We thank all participants for their enthusiastic support and valuable contributions to the conversation. We look forward to building on the synergies found in this meeting to further the discussions on the topic and find concrete ways to work together in collaboration.