YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A PEACEFUL VISION

Representatives to reason with those most vulnerable

Those chosen as envoys will take messages of peace to Muslim youths around the world,

ABU DHABI // Islam’s message of peace and tolerance will reach Muslim nations through youth ambassadors as part of a project to tackle extremism among the young.

The Vision project will send youngsters who have demonstrated a deep understanding of their religion and leadership skills to their home countries or abroad to promote peace among their compatriots, said Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, president of the Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies Forum. The forum is being run in cooperation with the UAE’s Islamic Affairs Authority (Awqaf).

The forum said young ambas- sadors would relate to people of the same age more easily and answer questions from those who have been exposed to extremism or radicalisation.

“We will not exaggerate and say we will change the world and pull the weapons away [ from terrorists], but we are working on fighting the disease of radicalisation,” said Sheikh bin Bayyah. “Wars starts in minds, so we have to treat this disease by reaching out to all minds.”

The first phase of the project is due to begin this year with an initial group of 50 young ambassadors of various nationalities.

That number is expected to increase to 150 by 2020. The ambassadors will be trained to identify psychological, social and educational problems that perpetuate extremism. This will also help to equip young people with problem-solving skills to allow them to identify the lures used by terrorists.

Officials at the forum will look to recruit outstanding university students as ambassadors.

Candidates will submit essays about the different ways of promoting peace and attend sessions on intellectual and creative thought.

The ambassadors will be evaluated by a committee a year from now.

Now is the time for religious leaders in the Muslim world to work with allies from other religions to spread peace, said Sheikh bin Bayyah, adding the UAE was the perfect launch pad for this project because of its tolerant approach.

“Islamophobia is growing but will we look at it as a crisis or an opportunity,” said Sheikh bin Bayyah, who was recently invited to Washington DC to address the US congress.

“The forum has become wellknown and we have supporters, including Anglicans.”