ISD held the third Strong Cities Network (SCN) Regional Practitioners’ Workshop in South Asia in Kolkata, India on 31 January and 1 February. The event brought together 30 frontline practitioners from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Over two days, participants had in-depth discussions and training on a broad spectrum of violent extremism affecting the region, each bringing valuable individual experience and local expertise to the table. Training sessions focused on how cities can improve their planning, taking account of specific local risks and identifying partners to support local projects. This report gives an overview of the activities and the different subjects discussed during the workshop.
What we do
ConnectFacilitate systematic sharing of knowledge, expertise and lessons learned on building social cohesion and community resilience to prevent violent extremism across cities on an international basis, through both regional workshops and international conferences.
Raise awareness of existing policy, programming, and practice through a dynamic and searchable ‘Online Information Hub’, providing an extensive library of existing local approaches and responses to prevent violent extremism.
Directly support cities to develop strategic frameworks and capabilities to build resilience that safeguard the rights of their local communities, including through capacity building seminars and interactive training modules on themes of mutual interest.
Directly seed the development of new and innovative projects through ‘Local Innovation Grants’, providing support for cities on innovative project development and support for the transfer of promising projects that could be adapted across different locations.
Directly support cities to develop strategic frameworks and capabilities to build resilience that safeguard the rights of their local communities, including through capacity building seminars and interactive training modules on themes of mutual interest.
Provide a global platform to enable cities to jointly voice their needs and those of their communities, to inform national and international decision-making on preventing the spread and growth of violent extremism.