Promoting Dialogue to Counter Violent Extremism in Spain

26 September 2018, Malaga, Spain - the International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders in Malaga (CIFAL Malaga) with the support of the Justice Programme of the European Commission, the Intelligence Center for Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), the University Rey Juan Carlos, and the Ministry of the Interior of Spain hosted the “COUNTERADHUB Seminar” in Malaga, Spain on 13 - 14 September 2018. 

Initiatives for countering violent extremism can take many forms. Common to all methods is an emphasis on dialogue, inclusion, and the promoting of understanding. Some countries have, for example, created forums for interreligious and intercultural dialogue, or platforms that bring together governmental and non-governmental actors to advise on countering violent extremism strategies. Measures also include initiatives that promote alternative visions based on respect for human rights and human dignity.

The COUNTERADHUB seminar main objective is to promote a continued dialogue on how to design a national training program for judicial officials including judges, prosecutors, forensic doctors, and other actors to design comprehensive approaches to countering the spread of terrorism and violent extremism. Some of the topics covered in this seminar were: Jihadist radicalization processes in Spain, detection and measurement of Jihadist radicalization, State response to Jihadist threat, among others.

The seminar was hosted in close collaboration with the Ministry of Justice of Spain and the General Council of the Judiciary and the Centre for Legal Studies of Spain, bringing together some 50 attendees to share knowledge on reducing violent extremism and to exchange best practices on the protection of human rights and justice.