{"id":11478,"date":"2025-09-17T16:25:48","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T13:25:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harici.com.tr\/en\/?p=11478"},"modified":"2025-09-17T16:58:31","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T13:58:31","slug":"the-forum-on-political-islam-was-held-in-abu-dhabi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harici.com.tr\/en\/the-forum-on-political-islam-was-held-in-abu-dhabi\/","title":{"rendered":"The Forum on Political Islam was held in Abu Dhabi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Forum on \u201cCountering Extremist Ideology\u201d hosted by TRENDS in Abu Dhabi ends with call for a \u201ccomprehensive roadmap\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the event, where Harici<\/em> was among the media partners, experts highlighted common patterns of ideology-driven violence and called for a comprehensive roadmap and the strengthening of citizenship values.<\/p>\n

Abu Dhabi \u2013 September 16, 2025<\/strong> \u2014 The 5th Annual Political Islam Forum<\/a><\/span>, organized by the TRENDS Research and Advisory Center under the theme \u201cTogether with Knowledge Against Extremism\u201d<\/em> at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel, addressed the \u201cshared patterns of violence\u201d associated with ideology-driven extremism. Senior officials, academics, and researchers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, France, Italy, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Poland, Egypt, and Jordan participated on the Forum.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Among the keynote speakers were former UK Defense Secretary Sir Liam Fox and French Senator Nathalie Goulet.<\/p>\n

Participants emphasized that countering extremism cannot be limited to security measures but requires a multilayered approach encompassing intellectual, social, and cultural dimensions. Key recommendations included strengthening democratic values and the rule of law, distinguishing genuine grievances from ideological exploitation, opening civic channels for youth leadership and innovation, and protecting educational institutions from the influence of politicized religiosity.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In his opening remarks, TRENDS CEO Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali stressed the need for \u201cnew intellectual maps\u201d to reveal implicit intersections between extremist currents, adding that permanent results cannot be achieved without dismantling propaganda and recruitment mechanisms in the digital age. He called for going beyond dispersing hate speech to also exposing the \u201cillusions that enable such discourse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Al-Ali pointed to the Muslim Brotherhood as an example of ideology\u2019s capacity to merge missionary rhetoric with violent projects, noting that the Brotherhood capitalized on the digital revolution to recruit followers via online platforms. He warned that combating extremism requires a global roadmap that combines intellectual and political expertise with alliances, one that dismantles the illusions enabling groups to attract new generations. He concluded by calling for collective efforts that integrate academic research, public policy, technology, and political will, transforming platforms into spaces for narratives of coexistence and humanity rather than ideological violence.<\/p>\n

The Mohammed Bin Zayed University for Humanities (MBZUH)<\/strong> became the first recipient of the TRENDS Global Award for Countering Extremist Ideology<\/em> for its measurable contributions. Prof. Radwan Al-Sayyid, member of the TRENDS Scientific and Academic Council, highlighted the university\u2019s role in promoting values of moderation, citizenship, and dialogue.<\/p>\n

Throughout the discussions, speakers underlined that extremist movements share similar cognitive and behavioral structures\u2014such as closed worldviews, \u201cus versus them\u201d divisions, leader cults, conspiracy rhetoric, and narratives legitimizing violence. Dr. Khalifa Mubarak Al-Dhaheri (MBZUH) explained that such movements adopt strategies rejecting national frameworks while relying on an alliances\u2013disinformation\u2013violence spiral.<\/p>\n

Sir Liam Fox argued that the term \u201creligious extremist\u201d is misleading, emphasizing that they are \u201cpolitical actors instrumentalizing religion.\u201d Referring to Popper\u2019s Paradox of Tolerance<\/em>, he stressed that intolerance must not be tolerated under the guise of tolerance. Senator Nathalie Goulet highlighted the overlapping violence and financing between political Islam and the far-right, drawing attention to opaque fund flows, misuse of charities, and crypto-assets.<\/p>\n

The digital sphere was emphasized as crucial, with calls for cooperation between governments, civil society, and technology companies to run awareness campaigns against online extremist content, and to strengthen alternative narratives around pluralism and citizenship. Additional proposals included holding all state or organizational actors involved in ideological violence accountable before international law, establishing early warning networks, and expanding rehabilitation programs for former extremists.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Key Session Highlights<\/strong><\/p>\n