In the past few years, schools, universities, prisons and mosques have become increasingly important poles for jihadist radicalisation of vulnerable individuals, serving as a fertile ground for the indoctrination and recruitment of violent extremists and even fully-fledged terrorists, including foreign fighters. This phenomenon has been affecting both Europe and other regions of the world, notably - but not solely - the Middle East and North Africa, and building upon a variety of societal and, arguably, political failures, from insufficient public oversight of educational curricula, to uncontrolled activities by radical Islamic preachers, all the way to the absence of a solid re-integration strategy for convicted individuals. Tackling this dangerous trend calls for a joint effort by state – and inter-state – institutions, civil society organisations and individual citizens.
Speakers included: Andrea Frontini, Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre (EPC), Rupert Sutton, Research Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society in the UK, Muhammad Manwar Ali, Chief Executive of JIMAS in the UK, Rodrigo Ballester, Member of Cabinet of Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Stefano M. Torelli, Research Fellow at the Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale (ISPI) in Milan