Egypt trains imams on preventing extremism in Africa
The Cairo Centre for Conflict Resolution and Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA) has conducted its third pilot training on “Preventing Radicalization and Extremism Leading to Terrorism” in Africa.
The five-day training was to equip local leaders and influencers 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, said a statement from the Egypt Embassy in Abuja.
“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 statement said.
It said a distinguished Azhari scholar delved into the foundations of peace narratives in Islam, while trainers, with in-depth expertise in Nigerian affairs, analyze the local context within which those narratives have an impact.
“The distinctiveness of CCCPA’s approach also relies on the understanding of radicalization and extremism in Nigeria through conflict analysis. This approach takes into consideration the individuality of the pathway towards radicalization 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,” it added.