Training Event "CHALLENGE IT: Exploring approaches and

In November 2019, we organised another capacity-building training, this time focused on the topic of youth extremism. The training took place in Utrecht, and was delivered in partnership with the Dutch SCM, S.S.R.-N.U. and through funding received from the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe and Otto Per Mille of the Waldensian Church of Italy.

19 participants from 13 countries gathered in Utrecht for this training. The programme included a series of workshops focused on the development of practical skills, such as: community building, advocacy, campaigning and social media. The workshops empowered SCM representatives and other participants, giving them the right tools and knowledge to return to their communities and, in turn, empower others to identify and challenge extremism. These skills were explained and applied through discussions and exercises centered on extremism/radicalisation and what can be done to prevent and combat it.

These key themes were also explored through plenary sessions, which included hearing and learning from Miguel Garcia, an expert in this field Since 1998, Miguel has worked as an evaluator, trainer, lecturer and e-learning moderator for the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the Universities of Hannover and of Osnabrück, and many other organisations, conducting research and helping young people and others to explore topics relating to extremism.

The participants had the chance to get involved in different thematic and reflection groups, in which they could share the realities and different forms of extremism they have experienced or witnessed in their own countries. As the programme came slowly to an end, participants were asked to work in groups to develop a joint manifesto on their commitment to stand against extremism, to face it and challenge it in an effective manner. It is perhaps this commitment that remains as the key legacy of the training!

FRAGMENTFROMTHEJOINTMANIFESTO:

“As Christians, people of faith, and men and women of good will, we cannot turn a blind eye to the problems of our age, and we believe that keeping silence in this difficult hour would be a grave moral failing from our part. We seek to give voice to the voiceless and be a prophetic presence shininginanoftendarkworld.Itisforthisreasonthatweaskyoutotakeourproposalstoheartand take our letter as a serious call to action from the concerned young people of Europe (…). These reflections were developed in the context of religious and cultural sharing activities, and the program was enriched by contributions from various participants in specific parts of the training, in which we shared our experiences and discussed what would be the best practices that lead to cooperation, intercultural exchange and interfaith dialogue. As a new generation, we aim to put them into action because we know that all of us will help to create a more open, diverse, interactive andcriticalyoungEurope.”

“Thefirstthingthatcomestomymindwhen thinkingabouttheyouthtraininginUtrechtis thevarietyofsessions,fullofvariedinformation anddiscussions.Priortothetraining,Ididnot expecttomeetsuchaspecialgroupofpeople,of diversebackgrounds,knowledgeandexperience. Ididnotonlygetthechancetolearnaboutyouth extremismandhowwecancombatthisissue,but alsoaboutthedifferentsituationsinEuropean countries,aswellastheroleandinvolvementof theSCMs.Afterthose7days,Iwenthomefilled withmotivation,ideasandexcitementtostart activitiestofaceyouthextremi

HenrietteGreulic SCMDresde

“Fantastictrainingprogramme-itisdefinitely somethingIwillremember.Everyone'sattitudes andperspectiveswereveryinspirational. Simultaneously,Ireallyappreciatetheeffort fromtheorganisationteam'ssidetoprovideus withadynamic,yetveryinformational,training programme.Itwasverywell-balancedand thought-through.Icanonlythankthem!”

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