EFD-EIP event photo (cropped)

Sharing best practices in countering violent extremism: can EU and U.S. prevention experts learn from one another?

On 1 December 2015, the European Foundation for Democracy organised a public policy briefing, in collaboration with the European Institute of Peace, the Counter Extremism Project and the U.S. Mission to the EU. The panel discussed both European and U.S. radicalisation prevention programmes, how best to reach out to vulnerable communities, considered what a compelling counter narrative needs to look like and what needs to change in existing prevention policies in the U.S. and Europe.

Syria

Syria between the West and other worlds

On 30 November 2015, the European Foundation for Democracy, in partnership with the European Law Students Association and the Counter Extremism Project, hosted a conference in Bologna, Italy, on the current conflict in Syria and its geopolitical implications. Among the panellists were EFD researcher Tommaso Virgili. Other panellists included leading geostrategic analysts, legal experts and diplomats, who provided a multifaceted insight on the Syrian crisis, its root causes and its legal and geopolitical implications.

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A Muslim push-back against the Islamic State

“Broadly speaking, the struggle within Islam is between Muslims who embrace the values of the modern world in terms of freedom, individual rights, gender equality and democracy on the one side and Muslims opposing these values and insisting on a [radical] Sharia-based legal system on the other. Any Muslim who even questions this version of Islam they refer to as a heretic or, worse, an apostate to be killed”.

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Radicalisation in the EU eastern and southern neighbourhoods

On 30 September 2015, the European Foundation for Democracy organised two policy briefings in Washington D.C. to present three studies on the issue of radicalisation in a number of countries, particularly focusing on the European eastern and southern neighbourhoods. The panel included EFD Senior Fellow Valentina Colombo, who presented the case for Tunisia with a report entitled Tunisia, a nascent democracy under siege; EFD Researcher Tommaso Virgili, who presented a report on Secularism in Azerbaijan and the threat of radicalisation in the region; and EFD Adjunct Fellow Arturo Varvelli of ISPI (Italian Institute for International Political Studies), who discussed his report on Libya’s fight for survival: defeating jihadist networks.

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The use of social media for terrorist recruitment: how should Europe respond?

On 1 July 2015, the European Foundation for Democracy and the European Policy Centre hosted a joint policy dialogue to discuss the issue of how social media is being misused by terrorist organisations to spread propaganda and insight extremism. The panel included EFD Fellow Tehmina Kazi; EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, Gilles De Kerchove; former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and CEO of the Counter Extremism Project, Mark Wallace; and former State Secretary of the German Ministry of the Interior and former Director of the Federal Intelligence Services, August Hanning.

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EU Neighbourhood: secularism for promoting peace, dialogue and reconciliation

In the framework of our Counter Radicalisation Programme, the European Foundation for Democracy is researching and analysing the nature and the spread of the phenomenon of radicalisation in the European eastern and southern neighbourhoods. The programme focuses on a number of key countries including Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

devil-inthe-detail

The devil is in the detail: what should a deal with Iran look like?

The European Foundation for Democracy in cooperation with the European Leadership Network and the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Global Security and Non Proliferation in the UK Parliament, invite you to attend a briefing on the status of the Iranian nuclear negotiations on Wednesday 17 June at 1 pm in Committee Room 4, with guest speakers Dr. Bruno Tertrais and Lukasz Kulesa.

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Iran’s Nuclear Programme: What Should the June 2015 Comprehensive Agreement look like?

The European Foundation for Democracy (EFD) in collaboration with the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and INTERNATIONALE POLITIK, cordially invite you to a policy discussion with Dr. Bruno Tertrais in Berlin.

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How to deconstruct the radical narrative? An alternative discourse of academics and activists of Muslim heritage

On 26 March 2015, the European Foundation for Democracy hosted a public briefing with Julie Ward MEP (UK S&D), Karima Bennoune and Elham Manea on how Muslim academics and activists can best deconstruct the radical narrative, increasingly proving so attractive to young Muslims across the globe.

nuclear-deal

Nuclear deal with Iran still on uncertain path, says European Foundation for Democracy report

“The chances of a final deal with Iran by the 30th June deadline remain slim even if a framework agreement is reached by 31st March” says a policy report published by the European Foundation for Democracy on 20th March 2015. According to the report titled “A Nuclear Deal with Iran Prospects and Challenges” and authored by Dr. Bruno Tertrais, in the course of the negotiations, the gap between the positions of the parties has remained significant.

Press conference - With more than two executions per day so far in 2014, how can common international front impact Iran's human rights situation?

How can Iran improve its human rights – How can Europe help?

On 12th March 2014, the European Foundation for Democracy organised a briefing for MEPs co-hosted by Andrzej Grzyb MEP and press conference at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, on “How can Iran improve its human rights – How can Europe help?”

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Secularism in Azerbaijan and the threat of radicalisation in the region

Within the framework of our Counter Radicalisation Programme, the European Foundation for Democracy is analysing the phenomenon of radicalisation in the European eastern and southern neighbourhoods. We have selected Azerbaijan as the first country in the series. The findings of the research have been published in a report titled Secularism in Azerbaijan and the threat of radicalisation in the region.

deconstruct-radical-narrative

How to deconstruct the radical narrative? An alternative discourse of Academics and Activists of Muslim Heritage

On 23 March 2015, the European Foundation for Democracy, in cooperation with the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), organised a discussion on how Muslim academics and activists can best deconstruct the radical narrative that is increasingly proving so attractive to young Muslims across the Western world. This event was held at the Palazzo Clerici in Milan.

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Iran and the Nuclear Programme

On 15 October 2014, the European Foundation for Democracy, in cooperation with the European Leadership Network, hosted a policy briefing with Dr. Bruno Tertrais on Iran’s nuclear programme at the House of Commons in London. The briefing was chaired by Lord David Hannay.

iran-nuclear-programme-deadline

Iran’s Nuclear Programme: a deal by the November deadline?

On 14 October 2014, the European Foundation for Democracy organised a policy briefing with Dr. Bruno Tertrais on Iran’s nuclear programme and the prospects of a deal by the 24th November deadline. This event was hosted by Tunne Kelam MEP (EPP/Estonia) and took place at the European Parliament, Brussels.

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De-radicalising foreign fighters: comparing EU and US practices

On 23 September 2014, the European Foundation for Democracy, in cooperation with the US Mission to the EU, organised a panel discussion on EU and US practices for de-radicalising foreign fighters. The event was hosted by Andrey Kovatchev MEP and took place at the European Parliament, Brussels.

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The European Foundation for Democracy is a policy institute based in Brussels that is dedicated to upholding Europe's fundamental values of democratic governance, political pluralism, individual liberty and religious tolerance.