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SARAJEVO, March 13 (FENA) - As part of the project "Establishing a Sustainable Approach to the Prevention of Violent Extremism in Bosnia and Herzegovina", a meeting of representatives of municipal authorities from fifteen communities was held today (Cazin, Bužim, Prijedor, Bugojno, Jablanica, Čapljina, Bileća, Foča, East Sarajevo, Novi Grad Sarajevo, Zenica, Zavidovići, Tuzla, Brčko District, and Zvornik) where the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is implementing this project.
The project is fully funded by the British Government which puts prevention and the fight against violent extremism at the top of priorities.
The meeting was an opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas, and to extend the mutual cooperation of local authorities in managing and empowering communities in facing the challenges of violent extremism of all kinds, the IOM stated.
The project focuses mostly on young people, because, when they are enabled to participate actively in creating new opportunities, through dialogue and community initiatives, resilience of an individual and the community can be achieved, thereby reducing the impact of radical propaganda and ideologies.
The engagement of young people is further strengthened through the implementation of MoviEQ workshops that encourage more complex thinking. These workshops reduce exposure to narratives used by extremist groups and individuals and build skills that encourage critical thinking, active listening, empathy, and resilience of individuals.
A representative of the IOM for the Western Balkans and Head of the IOM Mission in BiH said that through this project the confidence and involvement of local stakeholders in the prevention of violent extremism has been increased, and that the municipalities now show much greater support to youth-led activities and recognize the importance of local structures in providing more opportunities to marginalized young people for more active participation in the community.
During the project activities, participants underlined the importance of the work of parents who, through this project, took the leading role in raising awareness of the problem of violent extremism at the local level and have been actively informing other individuals and reducing the influence of factors leading to violent extremism.
British Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Matthew Field said that Tuesday meeting with the mayors, municipal mayors and representatives of the 15 communities in which the project has been implemented, was aimed at highlighting the importance of local initiatives and leadership in dealing with such problems.
“Young people, teachers, parents and wider communities have worked together on the implementation of projects that are important for everyday life through direct involvement of all stakeholders. Young people have been given the opportunity to lead the changes that then lead to improvements, resulting in greater resilience of communities to the impact of extremism. This gathering was a great opportunity to hear how, with appropriate opportunities given to young people, significant changes can in fact happen,” said Field.
(FENA) S. R.
