NAN-H-6
Training
Abuja, April 10, 2017 (NAN) Cairo Centre for Conflict Resolution and Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA) is to expand its training on preventing radicalisation and extremism to other affected and vulnerable regions in Africa.
Mr Ahmed Maher-Akl, Press Attaché to the Embassy of Egypt in Nigeria, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday.
He said the CCCPA had just conducted its third pilot training on Preventing Radicalisation and Extremism Leading to Terrorism (PRELT) –Africa, in Cairo, between March 27 and March 31.
He also said the training was part of the current United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project funded by the Government of Japan on Consolidating Peace, Security and Stability in Africa.
“CCCPA plans to expand its geographical scope of training to include other affected and vulnerable regions including the Sahel and Sahara region as well as North Africa.
“The training is the first of its kind in Africa to address the prevention of radicalisation as a community-based engagement, using traditional and Islamic inclusive narratives.
“The programme aims to equip local leaders with the necessary knowledge and skills to refute extremist interpretations of Islam, while propagating an alternative narrative of peace and coexistence within their local communities,’’ he said.
According to him, the training provides a unique approach through the inclusion of fundamental and straightforward explanations of the rules and ethics of war and peace in Islam.
“The distinctiveness of CCCPA’s approach also relies on the understanding of radicalisation and extremism in Nigeria through conflict analysis.
“This approach takes into consideration the individuality of the pathway towards radicalisation while acknowledging both contextual as well as personal variables.
“The training is exercise-based to provide an interactive and engaging space for participants while allowing them perform content analysis of extremist narratives and build their own inclusive peace narratives,’’ he said.
He said many ethnic group leaders, religious, youth and women leaders and eminent personalities from across Nigeria participated in the training, including teachers, journalists, public servants and members of the civil society organisations, among others.(NAN)
IAA/KAY
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