Context
Violent extremism is a global issue. Whether it has polit- ical, ideological, racist or religious roots, the problem of youth radicalisation affects African and European socie- ties alike. The common response of using coercive hard power to counter violent extremism has only limited ef- fect and comes at a high cost, both financially and in terms of human lives. Preventing violent extremism (PVE) and building social cohesion globally requires a comprehensive soft power approach that focuses on the root causes rather than on the symptoms of violent extremism. Sports, arts, cultural events and activities offer effective means of dealing with tensions within a community. Innovative ap- proaches in these areas foster mutual understanding and support cooperation between different social and re- ligious groups. Religious leaders and organisations often play a vital role in local communities, particularly in remote areas, and are, therefore, potential key partners in the ap- proach to PVE. Youth activists are also often already in- volved in community work and deeply engaged in strengthening social cohesion and PVE. Against this background, the African Union Commis- sion’s Directorate of Citizens and Diaspora Organiza- tions (AUC-CIDO) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für In- ternationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have jointly launched the iDove pilot project, using innovative youth- led approaches to highlight the soft power of religion in PVE.
Our Approach
Religion is often exploited by violent extremist groups to legitimise their atrocities, particularly among young peo- ple. Indeed, religion is not the main cause of radicalisa- tion. Actual or perceived social grievances and injustice as well as political, economic and social exclusion are some of the many contributing factors behind violent ex- tremism. By building on existing initiatives and support- ing young people’s engagement and ideas, we aim to develop non-violent approaches to problem solving that strengthen social cohesion and create a forum for ex- change and learning. Annual Intercontinental Youth Forums are the basis for all iDove activities. The iDove project kicked-off with its first Intercontinental Youth Forum held in Addis Ababa in February 2017. Forty young leaders committed to PVE, comprising representatives of civil society organi- sations, policy-makers, scholars and creative arts ex- perts, were selected from a pool of over 4,000 applicants from 24 African and 8 European countries. The young leaders and activists, called “iDovers”, exchanged ideas with scientists, religious actors and former radicals who subsequently disengaged. By creating innovative frame- works for PVE, the participants acquired a sense of own- ership and common identity as iDovers. Up to date, all activities planned and executed under the iDove um- brella have been led by the iDovers. Drawing upon the success of the first forum, the second Intercontinental Youth Forum was held in Addis Ababa in October 2018. Likewise, the focus has been on vio- lent extremism among youth both in Europe and Africa. This time, special attention has been paid to ungoverned spaces such as border regions and marginalised areas, where the youth is particularly vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups. A rich dialogue between youth leaders during the Inter- continental Youth Forum led to a diverse range of unique local initiatives, including four small-scale projects, which were selected and given financial support. The projects cover communication, virtual and community in- itiatives, such as media training, capacity building, arts and sports. They are currently implemented in Mali, Kenya, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Alongside the small-scale projects, the Intercontinental Youth Forum also laid the foundation for a series of local workshops that aim to empower youth to play an active role in PVE and in building cohesive communities. The workshops are conducted by iDovers themselves in dif- ferent communities in Africa and Europe. A pilot course to train the trainers was held in the African Union head- quarters in Addis Ababa in February 2018. Six iDovers and a selected group of PVE experts discussed how best to deploy soft power approaches and interreligious dialogue in the context of PVE initiatives. A manual was developed for the training. One key factor in PVE is knowledge. Knowledge about radicalisation and recruitment processes, knowledge about one’s own culture and religion, and knowledge about how to find help. An idea therefore emerged to raise awareness of violent extremism and radicalisation processes using a playful, positive and informative ap- proach through the medium of a web app. In 2018, iDove started working on the concept of a so-called serious game, which can be played on computers and smartphones.
