Sawab Centre is a step towards ISIL’s defeat

Regarding the opinion piece, Sawab means the right path, ISIL the wrong one (July 10), last week the US-led coalition made a positive step in recognising that the battle with ISIL is taking place as much online as it is within the physical geographic boundaries of Iraq and the Levant.

Through the launch of the new Abu Dhabi-based Sawab Centre, an innovative and important strategic tool to counter ISIL’s digital propaganda and recruitment efforts has been ushered in.

The Sawab Centre should use the coordinated reach of the broad anti-ISIL coalition to not only delegitimise the so-called caliphate but also to inspire positive counter-narratives. The efforts can begin even today by highlighting the people and countries, particularly in the Arab world, who enjoy peace and stability and many beautiful aspects of life, like the ones enjoyed here in the UAE.

A comprehensive digital strategy countering ISIL should bring together Arab and American communities and seek to engage the general public, the media, the leadership of local social media platforms, blogs and key digital influencers throughout the Arab world to be part of the solution. And anyone who enjoys a life without the barbarity of ISIL should seek to work together on social media platforms to defend that way of life one hashtag at a time. K Nichols, Abu Dhabi