The roots of Islamist extremism in Bangladesh can be traced back to British Colonial rule, during which the social, economic and religious differences between Hindus and Muslims were exploited and exacerbated. In the tumult that followed the partition of India in 1947, new conflicts emerged based on language, culture and economic inequalities, resulting in the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971.
In November 2021, the Strong Cities Network (SCN) organised a study tour to the Netherlands for 25 Jordanian and Lebanese policymakers, judiciaries, practitioners and national stakeholders, in partnership with the US Embassy of the Netherlands and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The tour allowed for exchange of insights and experiences with Dutch national and local professionals as part of the SCN’s preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) programme. This exchange sought to institutionalise and enhance the capacity of the municipal-led Local Prevention Networks (LPNs) in Lebanon and Jordan.
For the town of Majdal Anjar in Leabnon, 1 August will never be the same again. Where normally the country would mark Lebanese Army Day, commemorating the moment when the country formally took control of its armed forces in 1945 following independence, this year it was the day of the chess tournament. Nidal Khaled, Local Prevention Network Coordinator, writes about the transformative potential of sport in preventing violent extremism, which the town of Majdal Anjar witnessed first-hand in August.
The Strong Cities Network held a Young Cities Showcase Expo on November 11th, 2021 in Skopje, North Macedonia. This was the first time the showcase was organised as a fair across the Young Cities programme. The goal of this event was to provide a platform for the youth groups to present their projects and accomplishments to relevant stakeholders and partners.
On 27-28 October, 2021 the Strong Cities Network (SCN) and the University of Ghent hosted a workshop that brought together experts in the field of the prevention and countering of violent extremism and polarisation, including mayors, policy makers, practitioners, and academics from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States.
September marked two important occasions for the Strong Cities Network. On 22 September, mayors and other representatives from some 20 cities around the globe participated in a meeting to revitalise the SCN’s International Steering Committee, which forms its leadership and decision-making body. During the course of the event, participants discussed the various challenges facing cities in preventing and countering violent extremism, as well as ensuring the SCN is fit for purpose.
Opening Session 2 of the #AfricaSummit, @woleojewale highlights 3 levels of infrastructure necessary for national & local govs to address for P/CVE:
- Social infrastructure for peace,
- Physical infrastructure for development,
- Psychological infrastructure for (re)integration
Our @Strong_Cities Africa Summit Session 2 and @woleojewale from @issafrica is giving the keynote speech! Great work!!
Earlier this month, @Strong_Cities in partnership with the Embassy of the Netherlands and @HSCollective, organised a study tour for #Jordanian and #Lebanese local policymakers to help strengthen their own local prevention network model.
➡️ Read more here: https://t.co/xzilLtHLzb
South Asia Summit: City-Led Efforts to Prevent & Counter Violent Extremism
Join city leaders, experts & CSOs from across South Asia to discuss the most pressing threats, challenges & opportunities for P/CVE efforts in the region today.
Register now! 🔽
https://t.co/AjFDm0bgWs
Join us today for a session on effective national to local cooperation, where government experts will discuss opportunities, challenges, & successes and highlight best practices across Africa.
#AfricaSummit #StrongCities
@MombasaCountyKe @K_Coalition
Last chance to register 🔽🔽
Session 2: Empowered Cities, Informed Policy: National-Local Cooperation (NLC) on P/CVE
#StrongCities #AfricaSummit @MombasaCountyKe @K_Coalition
Friday 26 November 15:00 – 17:00 EAT / 13:00 – 15:00 BST
Sign up here: https://t.co/9Q50at1FM1
Opening Session 2 of the #AfricaSummit, @woleojewale highlights 3 levels of infrastructure necessary for national & local govs to address for P/CVE:
- Social infrastructure for peace,
- Physical infrastructure for development,
- Psychological infrastructure for (re)integration
Our @Strong_Cities Africa Summit Session 2 and @woleojewale from @issafrica is giving the keynote speech! Great work!!
Earlier this month, @Strong_Cities in partnership with the Embassy of the Netherlands and @HSCollective, organised a study tour for #Jordanian and #Lebanese local policymakers to help strengthen their own local prevention network model.
➡️ Read more here: https://t.co/xzilLtHLzb
South Asia Summit: City-Led Efforts to Prevent & Counter Violent Extremism
Join city leaders, experts & CSOs from across South Asia to discuss the most pressing threats, challenges & opportunities for P/CVE efforts in the region today.
Register now! 🔽
https://t.co/AjFDm0bgWs
Join us today for a session on effective national to local cooperation, where government experts will discuss opportunities, challenges, & successes and highlight best practices across Africa.
#AfricaSummit #StrongCities
@MombasaCountyKe @K_Coalition
Last chance to register 🔽🔽
Session 2: Empowered Cities, Informed Policy: National-Local Cooperation (NLC) on P/CVE
#StrongCities #AfricaSummit @MombasaCountyKe @K_Coalition
Friday 26 November 15:00 – 17:00 EAT / 13:00 – 15:00 BST
Sign up here: https://t.co/9Q50at1FM1
We partner with city officials to establish local risk assessments and design action plans and programmatic responses. From de-radicalisation programming to youth engagement strategies, we ensure that local responses address local needs.
Working from the ground up, we establish local coordination bodies that unite city halls, civil society educators, public health bodies, the private sector and faith leaders to identify and address community tensions. We base our success on harnessing existing and credible institutions, from social services to traditional civic infrastructure.
We galvanise mayors, city officials, local services, communities and youth, training them to play active roles in diagnosing and responding to local risk factors, creating an international repository of best practice approaches.
We help members access the latest research and best practice from across the network through our SCN Online Hub, which features stories, interviews, guides and training modules for teachers, city officials and civil society. Our SCN Hate and Extremism Mapper provides members with data, building digital observatories that correlate online risks with offline behaviour.
We act as a bridge, creating stronger working relationships between local and national governments. We also provide civil society with the knowledge, skills and resources to foster meaningful partnerships with officials in city halls.
Design