Round table discussion: Global impact of COVID-19 on violent extremism
The COVID-19 pandemic has largely affected people globally to various extents, disrupting the everyday life of individuals, with a large number of countries imposing different regulations, such as strict lockdowns, to curb the health crisis.
This pandemic has also had an impact on violent extremist (VE) groups and the way different actors work to counter them. While it may be difficult to derive conclusions during an ongoing crisis, it is highly crucial to discuss the changing realities in VE and CVE as we continue to witness the ongoing pandemic and the consequences it has around the world.
As the premier think-and-do tank dedicated to using its expertise and experiences to countering violent extremism (CVE), Hedayah, the International Center of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism, in collaboration with the Euro-Arab Foundation (FUNDEA), and United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) held a round table discussion on April 22, 2021 at 15:30 GST titled “The Global Impact of COVID-19 on Violent Extremism”. This session served as a precursor to the seventh International CVE Research Conference 2021 scheduled to be held in University of Granada, Granada, Spain, later this year.
Adapting to the current global situation, the conference organizers were keen to ignite an online conversation surrounding the recent CVE trends and events, while simultaneously expanding its wide network of international CVE actors. The given event aimed to provide a platform highlighting the latest cutting-edge research and engage the participants in a fruitful discussion on the recent developments in VE and CVE.