HBKU Hosts UNOCT Global Youth Town Hall Focusing on a Future Without Terrorism

Doha, March 30 (QNA) - Students and youth from numerous countries and a diverse ethnic background exchanged views on the future of counterterrorism at a Global Youth Town Hall organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), through its International Hub on Behavioral Insights to Counter Terrorism. The hybrid event - "Together, Building A Future Without Terrorism" - was hosted by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) on their campus in Education City, and with participants joining virtually from around the world. Students from HBKU, Georgetown University in Qatar (GUQ), and Northwestern University in Qatar attended in person with participants from all around the world taking part online. The youth-centered dialogue aimed to enhance their understanding of the individual, contextual, and structural factors and behaviors that affect violent extremist actions. It was also an opportunity for them to engage around the current and future multilateral efforts by the UN and its Member States to achieve a world free from terrorism. After the event, Dr. Leslie Pal, Founding Dean of CPP, HBKU, said: "I am delighted that HBKU could host the Global Youth Town Hall and be part of UNOCTs international cooperation effort to give youth a visible platform to advocate for positive change. The event objectives reflect our positioning as a leading research university shaping youth as change-makers who advance social and human progress." "Initiatives such as the "Educate to Eradicate" forums at HBKU broadly aim to tackle extremism at its roots. Given the complexity of the challenge, education must play a positive role in addressing the social, economic, cultural, and other factors that create the conditions for extremism. It’s also clear that innovation and critical thinking among youth are vital, and events such as this Global Youth Town Hall encourage the capacities that countries need," he added. (QNA)