Under its Prevention of Violent Extremism Capacity Building in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh project, NPC held meetings in Vavuniya, Kandy, Kurunegala, Ampara and Batticaloa with 120 members of District Inter Religious Committees, Local Inter Religious Committees, civil society trainers, government officials and Community Police Officers on Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) training in the district.
Discussions were held to identify lessons learned through the PVE training and incorporate ideas with issues of violent extremism that were leading to disrupting religious and ethnic community harmony.
Participants made recommendations to prevent violent extremism through interventions. They recommended introducing PVE concepts to the education system and also to local politicians, victims’ groups and locally identified fundamentalist individuals.
Other ideas included a digital video campaign, awareness session for school prefects, an interfaith dialogue and posting hand bills in the community halls.