BA Concludes The World Is Rising Up: United Against Extremism Conference
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The BA concluded The World Is Rising Up: United Against Extremism Conference on Thursday, 19 January. The conference was held from 17 to 19 January 2017 and was attended by numerous researchers, intellectuals, and international experts specialized in the issues of extremism. Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the BA, and Dr. Ali Gomaa, the former Grand Mufti of Egypt, participated in the conference’s closing session.
Dr. Serageldin stated that the concept of extremism remains obscure and is often used to justify false policies. He also stressed on the fact that extremism is a global phenomenon that requires the intellectual confrontation of extremist thought, for ideas can only be challenged with ideas. He added that paying more attention to human, economic, and social development issues is also crucial and can be achieved through promoting and supporting social research that is based on feild studies monitoring social and economic changes. Dr. Serageldin also stated that the media has a vital role in constructing people’s critical consciousness, preventing the spread of extremist thought, acting as the key line of defense that aims to enlighten people and raise their awareness, and discrediting all extremist thoughts.
Dr. Ali Gomaa highlighted the dangers of extremism and radicalism in his speech. He also emphasized that there are 46 strategies from around the world devised to combat terrorism and extremism, and he urged the BA and Al-Azhar to cooperate in printing a book of these strategies and distributing it among thinkers and intellectuals in Egypt and abroad, which would in turn create a prevalent global culture against terrorism.