OSCE builds online and offline resilience against violent extremism and radicalization that leads to terrorism in Bosnia and Herzegovina

From 26 to 28 November, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina held an interactive workshop for government and civil society representatives in Sarajevo, which focused on building local community resilience against all forms of violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT).

Among the participants were representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Security and the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the local government, civil society and religious communities, among others. In addition to technical experts, the Strong Cities Network also shared its knowledge and expertise.

The first half of the workshop focused on the threat of violent extremist content online, including on mis-, dis- and malign information, highlighting the key role of local communities in combatting these violent narratives. The second half centred on strategies for building resilience to offline attacks, such as site-specific risk assessments, emergency planning and public-private partnerships. 

Lejla Čopelj, Head of the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Counter-Terrorism Department, underlined the importance of this work for Sarajevo, stating that “Building resilience to violent online narratives and physical violence is essential for ensuring safety and stability in Sarajevo. Through a comprehensive approach that includes education, technological tools, and international cooperation, the city can become a model of resilience against these global challenges.”

“While we know that terrorism is global, it’s the radicalization, recruitment, mobilization and inspiration to violence that is always local. Therefore, our efforts to build resilience, prevent violent extremism, protect soft targets and, most importantly, counter the violent extremist space online must also be local,” said Irfan Saeed, Head of the TNTD’s Action against Terrorism Unit, in his opening remarks.

Selma Zeković, Chief of Anti-terrorism and Cybersecurity of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlighted that the public spaces are becoming increasingly vulnerable to violent extremist attacks. “To keep these spaces secure, open and accessible, we need to look into risk assessments and strategies for collaborative planning. Striking the right balance between safety and accessibility might not be easy, but it is crucial for upholding the core values of society,” she added.

The workshop was a part of a series of activities under the OSCE’s “Resilient Communities Project” which seek to strengthen community resilience to online and offline forms of violent extremism. The event will contribute to the project’s goal of advancing a shared understanding of violent extremism as well as improving co-ordination and responses among national and local policymakers, civil society and non-governmental stakeholders.

This workshop was organized with financial contribution from the United States of America.