TRENDS hosts counter-extremism seminar in UK House of Lords
14 Mar 2025 15:31
LONDON (ALETIHAD)A scientific seminar organised by TRENDS Research & Advisory at the UK House of Lords emphasised the need to combat extremism as a fundamental step in ensuring security and stability locally and internationally.The discussion highlighted the importance of correcting extremist ideologies and providing educational, economic, and social alternatives to prevent the spread of radical ideas, especially among youth, who are the primary targets of extremist groups.The seminar highlighted that countering extremism requires a comprehensive approach that combines security, intellectual, and technological solutions to ensure a safer and more stable future for all.The UK House of Lords hosted this seminar, which was the second of its kind in less than two months, under the title, 'Strengthening the UK-Middle East and North Africa Partnership in Countering Extremism and Promoting Prosperity.'The event was honorarily sponsored by Lord Walney and attended by a distinguished group of parliamentarians, researchers, and counter-extremism experts.The seminar was moderated by Lord Walney, who emphasised that extremism poses a global threat that requires a unified international strategy to confront it.Lord Donald Anderson, a member of the House of Lords, delivered a keynote speech, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation between the UK and the Middle East and North Africa in countering extremism. He also highlighted the key role of research institutions in analysing and understanding the challenges Western societies face due to the spread of extremist ideologies.Dr. Mohammed Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research & Advisory, asserted that international cooperation is essential to countering extremism and promoting values of tolerance. He explained that TRENDS is actively working to dismantle the rhetoric of terrorist groups through meticulous scientific analysis of the concepts and ideologies of such organisations.
The seminar featured the participation of Sir Liam Fox, Chairman of the UK Abraham Accords Group; Lady Olga Maitland, Former Member of the UK Parliament; Hannah Baldock, Editor of "Focus on Western Political Islam" magazine; Anna Stanley, Researcher at the Middle East Forum; Tom Tugendhat, Member of the Parliamentary Group for Countering Extremism; Daniel Kawczynski, Member of the UK Parliament; Aviram Belaishe, Head of the Counter-Extremism Project; Awad Al-Breiki, Senior Researcher and Head of TRENDS Global Sector; Abdulaziz AlShehhi, Senior Researcher and Deputy Head of Research Sector at TRENDS; and Shama Al-Qutba and Zayed Aldaheri, Researchers at TRENDS.
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