Breaking the Cycle: Engaging Survivors and Former Extremists to End Violent Extremism

The session will kick off with a slam poem, which is a poem shared in a lively and – often – emotional style. In particular, the Think Peace team will share a poem with the title ‘L'erreur est humaine’ (‘To error is human’). The Think Peace team also plans to bring an ex-repentant to join the GPW event, and has been responsible for preparing this slam poetry intervention. With this poem, they aim to emotively introduce their message that will be discussed and conveyed more formally during the panel, i.e. the importance of socially reintegrating prisoners after their imprisonment.

Before the panel discussion, which will make up most of the event, a quick rapid-fire debate will follow this opening slam poem. This debate will feature GCERF’s Executive Director, Dr Khalid Koser, and a member of the GCERF Secretariat. The debate's objective is to showcase common arguments against the reintegration of former violent extremists. One interlocutor will advocate for engaging former terrorists to prevent violent extremism whilst GCERF’s Executive Director will provide counterarguments. The debate will last 8 minutes (4 minutes for each debater). This debate seeks to spark and preface a deeper panel discussion about the topic which will be more complex and involve former combatants, violent extremist offenders, and survivors of violent extremism.

Indeed, finally, the spotlight will shift to the panel of GCERF’s grantees and participants. It will include two former violent extremist offenders, survivors of terrorism, and the co-chair of GCERF’s Global Action Platform (GAP) on social cohesion. Each panelist will share their experience and make a case for engaging formers and survivors in prevention and peacebuilding programming.  The panel discussion will address some of the concerns related to security and society. To achieve this aim: 

• Grantees in the panel will highlight the drivers of radicalisation and government policies. 

• Former combatants and survivors will draw from their personal experiences and will delve into the motivations behind terrorist actions and share insights on the journey towards disengagement.  

All told, the discussion will elucidate the psychology of a terrorist, what motivates them, and – most importantly - what can bring a terrorist to move away from violent extremist ideology and toward peace. GCERF grantees and beneficiaries will show how, through GCERF-funded programmes, awareness-raising and reintegration activities can foster resilience to help prevent violent extremism.

The entirety of the event will be narrated and moderated by GCERF’s Deputy Executive Director, Dr Lilla Schumicky-Logan.   

Speakers

• Alou ABDOULAYE - Coordinator of the Projet de Renforcement de la Compréhension et de la Prévention de l'Extrémisme Violent (PREPEV) and co-chair of the Global Action Platform working group on social cohesion Réseau de Communication sur le Pastoralisme (RECOPA)
• Laura OUMOU - Gender Officer of the Project to Strengthen Understanding and Prevent Violent Extremism (PREPEV) Réseau de Communication sur le Pastoralisme (RECOPA) - Burkina Faso
• Aminata KINDO -  Survivor of violent extremism receiving psychosocial support from the PREVENIR project Union Fraternelle des Croyants de Dori (UFC-Dori)
• Mahamar AHIMIDI - Ex-combatant involved in the “From armed repentant youth to actor for positive change” (JRA-JAC)’ project - Think Peace (Mali) Think Peace
• Mamoudou Amadou -  Ex-combatant involved in the “Support Project for the Socio-Economic Integration of Repentees through Public Interest Services” (PAISRSIP) - GARKUA (Niger) ONG GARKUA (online)

Interpretation

Interpretation services are available for all events during Geneva Peace Week, both on-site and online, through Wordly AI  

Live streaming

All events during Geneva Peace Week will be available on-site and online.

Main organiser

• Global Action Platform (GAP) 
• in collaboration with the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund - GCERF

Co-Organizers

• Think Peace 
• ONG Garkua 
• RECOPA
• Union Fraternelle des Croyants de Dori