site.btaUNESCO, Atlantic Club Bulgaria Conference Explores New Security Agenda for Education and Culture

UNESCO, Atlantic Club Bulgaria Conference Explores New Security Agenda for Education and Culture

Sofia, December 16 (BTA) - Education is what will disarm the processes leading to violent extremism, UNESCO Secretary-General Irina Bokova said. She was speaking at an international conference, entitled "Countering Violent Extremism: New Security Agenda for Education and Culture", co-organized by UNESCO and the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria, which opened in Sofia on Wednesday.
  
Ignorance should be challenged and this is what is inspiring UNESCO's actions today, Bokova said, underscoring the organisation's opinion that education will help counter extremism. UNESCO is investing in the education of young people in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, she pointed out.
  
Force is not the only thing that can help in countering what is happening today, or hatred and intolerance, Bokova pointed out. There is no need of "soft" actions and we have to fight for the hearts and minds of young people today.  
  
The UNESCO Secretary-General underscored the role of young men and women in countering extremism. The response to extremism should be critical thinking, civil inclusion and competence for cultural dialogue.
   
Aleksander Kwasniewski, former president of Poland, and Bill Richardson, former ambassador of the United States to the United Nations, also addressed the forum. The leaders can be eliminated, as well as some extremist military units, but if the political and economic situation in the region does not change, or the mindset of the people, the problem with extremisms cannot be resolved, Kwasniewski said.
   
Richardson said the governments, regardless of their differences, should unite and face extremism together. Both Kwasniewski and Richardson expressed their support for Bokova's nomination for UN Secretary-General.