Islamic military coalition addresses extremism prevention at Riyadh forum
RIYADH: The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism organized a symposium in Riyadh on Wednesday, commemorating the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism.
The event was attended by the coalition's assistant military commander, Air Force Maj. Gen. Abdullah Al-Qurashi, as well as member state representatives and coalition personnel, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Chaired by Abdullah Al-Dawah, director of monitoring and analysis at the Intellectual Affairs Department, the symposium emphasized the day's role in enhancing global efforts to combat terrorism and extremist ideology while fostering peace and tolerance.
Al-Dawah explained that the symposium serves to address the complex drivers of extremism, explore preventive measures, and highlight the crucial roles of community awareness and global cooperation.
In the first session, Yahya Abu Maghayed, director of preventive programs at the Intellectual Affairs Department, examined extremism's dynamic nature and stressed the need for increased public awareness.
He discussed factors driving its spread and indicators of violent radicalization, such as violence justification, conspiracy theory adoption, and participation in social unrest.
The second session featured Col. Malik Al-Farrayeh, Jordan's representative to the Islamic coalition, who highlighted the importance of public education on extremist ideology risks.
He emphasized that prevention begins with promoting moderate religious values while rejecting hardline ideas. Al-Farrayeh also noted the critical role of educational and media institutions in promoting tolerance and moderation.
He stressed the need for regional and international cooperation to prevent extremism from evolving into a security threat.
The event concluded with recommendations to strengthen community oversight, reinforce moderate values, and address extremism's root causes.
Participants underscored the need for coordinated international action to combat this phenomenon and protect communities from its impact.
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