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ISD and the Strong Cities Network Launch an Initiative to Support Cities in Responding to Migration-related Information Threats

Publication Date:

11/08/2026

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community resilienceDigital ThreatsInformation ManipulationMigrationOnline HarmsSocial Cohesion

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The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and the Strong Cities Network — which ISD founded in 2015 and continues to facilitate — are pleased to announce the launch of a three-year initiative supported by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, focused on strengthening local resilience to the impacts of migration-related information manipulation.

Bringing together ISD’s expertise in digital threat analysis with the Strong Cities Network’s global network of more than 295 local governments, the initiative will equip municipalities and frontline organisations with the knowledge, tools, and partnerships needed to anticipate and respond to harmful information threats surrounding migration that undermine public safety, social cohesion, and democratic resilience.

Addressing harmful online narratives that endanger migrants and fuel social polarisation

Migration has become one of the most contested issues in today’s information environment. State and non-state actors increasingly exploit narratives on migration to spread false information, fuel hate and xenophobia, deepen social polarisation, and erode trust in public institutions.

These campaigns can have real-world consequences, contributing to hostility toward migrants, increasing pressure on local services, and fueling tensions within communities.

Municipalities are the first to experience these impacts. Responsible for delivering frontline services, supporting integration and maintaining community cohesion, local governments are increasingly expected to respond to rapidly evolving information threats, yet many lack access to timely intelligence and practical tools to identify and manage these risks before they escalate.

Establishing a Local Threat Intelligence and Response Hub

To address this challenge, the project will establish a Local Threat Intelligence and Response Hub addressing migration-related information threats.

Combining ISD’s digital analysis capabilities with Strong Cities’ proven municipal capacity-building model, the Hub will provide participating local authorities and civil society organisations with real-time threat assessments, early warning alerts and practical support to strengthen local prevention and response.

The project will deliver:

• Early warning and threat intelligence of migration-related information threats
• Tailored training and capacity building for municipalities and frontline organisations.
• Technical assistance to help local authorities implement evidence-based responses.
• Cross-border cooperation and peer learning between municipalities facing shared challenges.

Supporting Communities Along the Eastern Mediterranean–Balkan Migration Route

The initiative will focus on one of the world’s most significant migration corridors, spanning Syria, Lebanon, and Türkiye, through the Western Balkans and into Central Europe. Working across origin, transit, and destination contexts recognises that migration-related information threats do not stop at national borders and often evolve across interconnected digital and geographic spaces.

Through cross-regional threat intelligence, structured information sharing, and practical support, the project will strengthen cooperation between municipalities and local partners facing common challenges along the route, enabling participating cities to exchange experience, identify emerging risks and develop coordinated responses to evolving information threats.

Turning Intelligence into Local Action

ISD’s Digital Analysis Unit will provide continuous monitoring of migration-related information threats, identifying emerging harmful narratives, coordinated information operations, and other online dynamics that could affect public safety and community cohesion. Regular threat briefings, early warning products, and in-depth analysis will provide local stakeholders with timely and actionable insights.

Through the Strong Cities Network, these insights will be translated into practical support for local governments. Municipal leaders and frontline practitioners will receive tailored training, technical assistance, and opportunities for peer exchange, enabling them to strengthen strategic communications, improve preparedness and embed evidence-based prevention approaches within local governance.

The project will also strengthen cooperation between local and national authorities and foster collaboration between municipalities, national governments, civil society, and multilateral organisations, and other key stakeholders to build more coordinated and sustainable responses to information threats related to migration. Over the three-year program, these partnerships will help establish a scalable model for translating digital threat intelligence into practical local action along other migration corridors around the world.

Contact

For further information about the project, partnership opportunities or media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

About ISD

For 20 years, the Institute of Strategic Dialogue has been at the forefront of analysing, exposing and combating all forms of terrorism, extremism, foreign interference, digital manipulation and authoritarianism, helping equip institutions, individuals, communities and the private sector with the tools, policies and skills to achieve impact at scale.

About Strong Cities

The Strong Cities Network is an independent global network of 295+ cities and other local governments from across 70+ countries dedicated to addressing all forms of hate, extremism and polarisation, while promoting a human rights-based prevention framework. Through in-person and online convenings, exchanges and trainings, Strong Cities facilitates sharing and learning among mayors and other local leaders, as well as municipal-level practitioners. By doing so, it helps local authorities leverage their full potential in prevention, while complementing national, regional, and global efforts.

About Andrew Carnegie Foundation

The Andrew Carnegie Foundation, originally established as Carnegie Corporation of New York in 1911, works to reduce political polarisation through grants that support ladders of opportunity and a more peaceful world. Its funding provides individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to improve their lives, participate fully in society, and advance peace.

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