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HOPE National Dissemination Workshop on Preventing Radicalisation

On 31 May, the National Dissemination Workshop on the prevention of radicalisation will be held in Granada, at the Euro-Arab Foundation headquarters, in the framework of the HOPE project (Holistic Radicalisation Prevention Initiative), which will end at the end of this year after 3 years of implementation. In this seminar, the research work that has been carried out in each of the phases of the project, as well as the conclusions and recommendations obtained, will be discussed in depth.

The seminar will start with the presentation of the project, which focuses on the prevention of radicalisation in the Balkan countries, comprising Southern and Eastern Europe, through the creation of a support network, continuous training, and the improvement of the transition process between the prison and/or probation systems for those prisoners at risk of radicalisation or who have already been radicalised, and their integration into the community.

The introduction will be followed by a presentation of the different activities developed in HOPE, such as the state of the art analysis document, surveys and interviews with prison professionals, training modules for prison professionals, the creation of a European training and knowledge transfer centre on deradicalisation and disengagement, as well as the creation of a mentoring programme for people in prison for violent extremism.

The seminar programme will conclude with the presentation of the book “La encrucijada entre la radicalización y la desradicalización: Teorías, herramientas y aspectos aplicados” (The crossroads between radicalisation and deradicalisation: Theories, tools and applied aspects) by Josep García Coll and Roberto M. Lobato. This work, published by the Euro-Arab Foundation and Catarata publishing house, was written by its authors using the theoretical framework of the HOPE project. It will be presented through a dialogue between the author and researcher on the prevention of violent radicalisation Josep García Coll and Moussa Bourekba, senior researcher at the CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs) whose lines of research cover the greater Mediterranean, global geopolitics and security. This meeting will be followed by a colloquium with the audience.

The seminar is open to the public with prior registration. Register at this link If you want to attend the seminar and get a certificate of attendance.

The HOPE project, in which the Euro-Arab Foundation is a partner, is made up of a consortium involving institutions from Bulgaria, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Slovenia under the coordination of IPS-Innovative Prison Systems, and with funding from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA-Norway Grant Fund for Regional Cooperation.

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The project HOPE holds Transnational Policy Forum and Dissemination Workshop in Albania

On 19 and 20 April, a Transnational Policy Forum and a Dissemination workshop were held in Albania within the framework of the HOPE project “Holistic Prevention of Radicalization Initiative”, a project of which the Euro-Arab Foundation is a member of the consortium along with its partners from Portugal, Norway, Italy, Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania.

On 19 April , the Transnational Policy Forum (TPF) kicked off the day with a presentation on the approach of the HOPE project, and a talk on best practices in training and cooperation in preventing and countering violent extremism, as well as the results presentation of needs assessment conducted by the project. The first roundtable of the Forum focused on the topic of “How to coordinate CVE activities in the Western Balkans from a policy perspective”, which was followed by a panel on the tangible results of HOPE. The day concluded with a second panel discussion on “Challenges of implementation for endusers: A regional approach”.

On 20 April the Dissemination Workshop was held, divided into a panel on the main results of the HOPE project, and a round table on the “The Future of CVE Training: The Albanian
Context”. The first panel featured Josep Garcia Coll, Euro-Arab Foundation researcher, with the topic “State of the art analysis & European Survey: A regional Approach”.

After three years of implementation, HOPE is coming to an end with a focus on continuous training and knowledge sharing in the countries of the Balkans, Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as on improving the transition process between the prison and/or probation systems and the community, for those prisoners at risk of radicalization or who have been radicalized.

The HOPE project, in which the Euro-Arab Foundation participates, is led by IPS-Innovative Prison Systems, and is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA-Norway Grant Fund for Regional Cooperation.

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Hope workshop about Bulgaria’s radicalisation and extremism state-of-play

The 7th Transnational Thematic Workshop of the HOPE project about Bulgaria’s radicalisation and extremism state-of-play: Approaches and consequences for the security, criminal justice, and community settings was held on June, 15th 2022 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The nine partners of the project have participated in the workshop together with front-line experts and professionals, dealing with different aspects of the reality of violent extremism in Bulgaria and the efforts to deal with it from government entities and those of civil society.

Participants initiated the discussion on the extremist trends in Bulgaria and how to promote training and multiagency cooperation within Bulgarian security, criminal justice, and community stakeholders considering the role of non-governmental organisations on preventing radicalisation in Bulgaria.

The discussion also broached the topics of the role of police officers on dealing with violent extremist and terrorist offenders and how to enhance police officers competencies on preventing radicalisation.

The history of violent extremism in Bulgaria has a journey that begins at the end of the 19th century with the attacks of the Bulgarian anarchist movements against the government of the Ottoman Empire in Istanbul or Thessaloniki. However, looking back, most Bulgarians would define the militants of these movements as national heroes who facilitated the country’s independence. A social worker in a Bulgarian NGO explains how this only confirms the classic phrase that someone who is a terrorist for some may be nothing less than a national hero for others.

In the session it was also observed how, according to the National Security Agency in Bulgaria, the motivation to justify the use of political violence in our days has diversified, including groups of Shiite and Sunni Islamic inspiration, or extremist groups of other ideological inspirations imported from neighboring Turkey. However, this agency does not see extreme right or extreme left groups as problematic in this regard.

Lastly, the workshop dealt with the issue of the work of civil society in the prevention and mitigation of violent extremism. The case of the Bulgarian city of Pazardzhik, where a movement in support of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Daesh) recently emerged, was presented. This community also adopted ways of life similar to those practiced by Daesh in Iraq and Syria, such as not sending girls to school. In view of this important problem, a local NGO took the initiative to work in this community by developing English classes for boys and girls. The work of this organization was arduous and required various meetings with the leader of the movement until, after 6 months, they were granted permission to start classes. However, shortly after the start of the project, the police arrested the leader of the movement, which caused a major media stir at the national level. This detention increased the community’s distrust in the work carried out by any external entity, which forced the project to end. The example demonstrates, according to the speaker, a classic conflict between the security forces and bodies and the entities that work on community development. A conflict that is not unrelated to the work of prevention and confrontation of violent radicalization and that demonstrate once again the importance of collaborative work between the different actors involved in this type of initiative, whether they are governmental or civil society.

These challenges and lessons learned in the Bulgarian context allow for a solid and enhanced progression towards better results in radicalisation prevention. HOPE will continue seeking to engage relevant stakeholders in preventing and countering violent extremism through a holistic lens. This European initiative is developing a network for continuous training and knowledge sharing in the Balkan, Southern, and Eastern European countries. The goal is to increase the knowledge base and cooperation between stakeholders to develop and implement successful P/CVE practices.

One way to get involved is by joining HOPE’s Radicalisation Network. In this online hub, members can stay abreast of all project initiatives, access hundreds of relevant resources, and network with dozens of P/CVE experts from over 40 organisations worldwide.

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Hope workshop about the extremist landscape in Serbia

The HOPE project – “Holistic Radicalisation Prevention Initiative” – is developing a network for continuous training and knowledge sharing in the Balkan, Southern and Eastern European countries. HOPE aims to improve the transition from prison or probation to the community for those at risk of radicalisation or who have already been radicalised.

The 6th HOPE Transnational Thematic Workshop (TTW) on June 1st gathered multiple practitioners and key experts on P/CVE, including project partners and participants who have been invited from the pool of members already involved in the HOPE Radicalisation Network.
Serbia is part of HOPE project’s network geographical scope of action, in its mission to create a European Learning Hub on Radicalisation and increase the knowledge and skills of practitioners in the P/CVE field.
Considering the country’s inter-ethnic tensions and polarisation challenges, the project is dedicating a Transnational Thematic Workshop to discuss the challenges posed by the regional and national atmosphere, focusing on its implications in the criminal justice system.


The potential drivers and post-sentence repercussions of the Foreign Terrorist Fighter phenomenon will also be explored.
Another focal point of this event is the community capacity for deradicalisation and reintegration. The workshop included the presentation of specific tools and programmes aimed at dealing with violent extremist offenders (VEOs) in the country.
From a basis of common understanding, participants were able to share their experience(s), proposals, and solutions. Stimulating these connections and knowledge sharing is at the centre of HOPE project’s goals.

If you are interested in participating in the next workshop, join the HOPE Radicalisation Network!

  • Access the recordings of the interventions that will be later added for revisiting at any time.
  • Become a part of the community and get involved to be invited to future project events.
  • Explore a thorough online library, with 300+ downloadable literature resources.
  • Learn more about the project and HOPE Radicalisation Network at www.hope-radproject.org
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Granada hosts the 7th International Countering Violent Extremism Research Conference

The International Countering Violent Extremism Research Conference 2022 takes place from May 23 to 25 in Granada, at the Faculty of Law.

Hedayah, the Euro-Arab Foundation, the European Institute for Counter Terrorism and Conflict Prevention, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, Moonshot, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and University of Granada hold the Seventh International Countering Violent Extremism Research Conference 2022. The Conference is sponsored by the Government of Spain and with the strategic partnership of the Royal United Services Institute, the Cyber Threats Research Centre (CYTREC) and Tech against Terrorism.

With the aim of responding to current and evolving terrorist and violent extremism threats and challenges, this seventh edition is being held with a forecast attendance of a hundred guests, including experts and researchers in the field, policymakers and practitioners from around the world

For three days, the conference addresses, through different round tables, the areas that affect the analysis of the current situation and future scenarios, such as: the implications of COVID-19 on this type of extremist actors; the role of the Internet and new technologies; the effects of environmental change on violent extremism; the fight against extremist groups of ideological inspiration; how to deal with the rise of the radical right; gender and youth in the prevention and fight against violent extremism, among other issues.

Inauguration and opening conference

The Conference will be inaugurated by the Rector of the University of Granada on Monday, May 23, at 9 a.m., in the Paraninfo of the Faculty of Law and will be attended by the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh; Chief of Strategic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Bahrain, Nancy Abdulla Jamal; the Minister Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Spain at the European Union, Guillermo Anguera Gual; the Major General, Guardia Civil and Director, Center for Intelligence against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), Manuel Navarrete Paniagua; the sub-delegate of the Government in Granada, Inmaculada López Calahorro; the President of the European Institute for Counter Terrorism and Conflict Prevention (EICTP), Herbert Scheibner and the Head of Global Programme on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office (UNOCT), Sean Hutchinson, among other prominent national and international professionals. 

The co-organization of this international Conference by the Euro-Arab Foundation is established based on the work that we have been developing over the years in terms of radicalization and violent extremism. At the moment, we are carrying out 10 projects funded by the European Union and the Government of Spain, four of them address this framework, the PAVE, HOPE, MIRAD, INTERRAD projects.

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Deradicalization in the prison context in Norway

The partners of the HOPE project (Holistic Radicalization Prevention Initiative) have met this past March 31 and April 1 at the University Center of the Norwegian Correctional Service (KRUS) in Lillestrom, Norway. During the meeting, they learned about the international projects of the KRUS, which is currently an international reference organization. They also witnessed part of the practical training activities, talked with students and teachers of the university degree for people who want to work in the prison context, visited the training spaces and the library. The consortium meeting also served to update the status of the project and plan the next activities, which will include 3 trainings on deradicalization in the prison context for frontline professionals in Bulgaria, Slovenia and Serbia.

On Friday, April 1, the participants visited the Kongsvinger prison complex. The visit included a presentation of the prison deradicalization model used in Norway, whose main element is dynamic security. Dynamic security is based on close contact with prisoners, trust based on the creation of a personal relationship with them and risk analysis based on changes in behavior, rather than static indicators. During the visit, the partners had the opportunity to visit cells at the different security levels, the training and recreation facilities for prisoners and the training spaces for prison officials.

The European project HOPE, in which the Euro-Arab Foundation participates, is developing a network for continuous training and knowledge exchange in the Balkans and countries of southern and eastern Europe.

The HOPE project is developing a network for continuous training and knowledge sharing in the Balkan, Southern and Eastern European countries.

This network aims to intervene in radicalisation prevention and disengagement and improve the transition between the prison/probation system and the community, for those at risk of radicalisation or who have already been radicalised.

Training and research organisations, academics, prison, and probation administrations make up the HOPE project network.

This project is led by IPS Innovative Prison Systems, and is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA-Norway Grant Fund for Regional Cooperation.

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European survey and research on deradicalization and disengagement

Creating a European Learning Hub on Radicalisation

The HOPE project is developing a network for continuous training and knowledge sharing in the Balkan, Southern and Eastern European countries.

This network aims to intervene in radicalisation prevention and disengagement and improve the transition between the prison and probation system and the community, for those at risk of radicalisation or who have already been radicalised.

Training and research organisations, academics, prison, and probation administrations make up the HOPE project network.

European Survey

As part of HOPE’s activities, we are carrying out a European survey for professionals engaged in deradicalization and disengagement in order to evaluate their needs within the prison and probation context and to identify the current state of prevention strategies and efforts to promote deradicalisation and disengagement.

Take the survey: https://psicsocialugr.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bq0v7vstyXl1A2i
From July 1 to 20
Available in different languages (Bulgarian, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Serbian, Slovenian, and Spanish).
The survey is completely online, take no longer than 20 minutes, and it is completely anonymous.

Interviews

To deepen this research, the Euro-Arab Foundation will carry out throughout the month of July interviews with professionals who work on (de)radicalization in prisons in order to identify the problems they encounter.