On October 17-18, 2017, the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) hosted its conference, Building Alliances – Preventing Terror, in Brussels, Belgium. The conference featured discussions among senior policymakers, academics, and the private sector on topics including how to coun0ter the spread of extremism and terrorist propaganda online, countering terror financing, and improving community and grassroots engagement.

Distinguished speakers for the two-day event included: EU Commissioner for the Security Union Sir Julian King; Nathalie Griesbeck, MEP and Chair of the EU Parliament’s Special Committee on Terrorism; Executive Director at the Institute for Strategic Studies Sir John Jenkins; Dartmouth College Computer Science Professor and CEP Senior Advisor Dr. Hany Farid; former British Head of Counterterrorism in the FCO Sir Ivor Roberts; and former Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski.

Photo Gallery

Participant Videos

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  Counter Terrorism Cooperation

  MEP and EPP Group Spokesperson for European Parliament Committee on Terrorism, Arnaaud Danjean; and Chief Commissioner and Policy Advisor to the Commissioner General, Belgian Federal Police Saad Amrani, discuss prospects for cooperation in Europe through an increase in communication between counter-terrorism organizations.

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  Technology and Extremism

  Featuring Senior Fellow, Centre for European Studies at Harvard University and former Polish defence & foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski; Former Director of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service and CEP Advisory Board Member Dr. August Hanning; and Former U.S. Ambassador to Morocco, White House Middle East Advisor, and CEP Advisory Board Member Marc Ginsberg.

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  Protecting Europe's Borders

  Senior Policy Advisor, European Foundation for Democracy, Alexander Ritzman; Chairman, Centre for the Analysis of Terrorism Jean-Charles Brisard; and Former British Ambassador to Yugoslavia, Ireland and Italy, head of counter-terrorism in the FCO, and CEP Advisory Board Member Sir Ivor Roberts discuss best practices and Europe's role in countering terrorism.

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  Political Islam and Islamist Ideology

  Expert on political Islam, Lecturer in Middle Eastern Politics, Ana Belen Soage; and Executive Director at the International Institute for Strategic Studies - Middle East, Sir John Jenkins discuss dealing with the ideology behind Islamist terrorism and how governments can counter terrorism through determination and resilience.

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  Engaging Communities and Countering Narratives

  Policy & Advocacy Officer, Cork and Equal Sustainable Communities Alliance, Tehmina Kazi; Co-chair of Education Working Group, Radicalization Awareness Network and Director of Go!, Karin Heremans; and MEP and researcher at the European Institute for Prospective and Security (IPSE), Patricia Lalonde, provide case studies on how to prevent radicalization in youth and communities.

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  Policy of Prevention

  Senior Fellow, Centre for European Studies at Harvard University and former Polish defence & foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski; and Senior Policy Advisor, European Foundation for Democracy, Alexander Ritzman discusses countering terrorism through providing youth with meaningful identities and preventing radicalization through strategic policies.