IFAP supports a pilot project in Albania to counter online violent extremism and cyber bulling

Within the framework of the project "No! to online Extremism and Radicalisation" the Albanian Foundation for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation of Disputes (AFCR)  organized two workshops on 10 and 17 April 2019 in Tirana, to raise awareness of young people about the issue of online radicalization leading to violent extremism.

Some 90 students and teachers attended these workshops. The activities that are carried out thanks to the support from the Information for All Programme (IFAP) are in line with UNESCO’s mandate to mobilize its members and partners in order to initiate concrete measures to prevent and respond effectively to violent extremism and radicalization in cyberspace.

The workshops helped the students to understand how violent extremism can be identified on Internet, and how to counter it.  The workshops were also an opportunity to expose and train participants in the objectives defined in the initial project "No! To extremism and online radicalization" contributing to a culture of peace among youth. The students were able to make short videos available on the AFCR website and expressed their willingness to commit to further spreading information about the project. 

This interactive approach between the experts of the Albanian Foundation for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation of Disputes (AFCR) and the high school students was implemented successfully and the final evaluation reflected the satisfaction of the beneficiaries and their expectation for future exchanges with Macedonian students and teachers in order to share experiences and best practices across borders.

UNESCO plays an active role to assist Member States in developing effective strategies to prevent violent extremism. The Information for All Programme (IFAP) has played a crucial role in initiating and facilitating policy dialogue on the issue of online radicalization leading to violent extremism. The project in Albania and North Macedonia is part of a series of pilot projects that will implement concrete activities and produce policy recommendations on the prevention of violent extremism and radicalization online.