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PP RUEHAP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHFL RUEHGI RUEHGR RUEHKN RUEHKR RUEHKUK
RUEHMA RUEHMJ RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHPB RUEHQU RUEHRN RUEHROV
DE RUEHMK #0472/01 1981305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161305Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7992
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNSCO/UNESCO COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0244
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0920
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 MANAMA 000472
SIPDIS
BAGHDAD FOR AMBASSADOR ERELI, PARIS FOR AMBASSADOR OLIVER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SOCI KISL PHUM UNESCO BA
SUBJECT: UNESCO CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS PROACTIVE APPROACHES
TO COUNTERING YOUTH RADICALIZATION ------- Summary -------
1.(U) Bahrain hosted a U.S.-funded UNESCO conference under the title "Youth at the Crossroads: A Future Without Violent
Radicalization" June 15-17 in Manama. The conference brought together over 100 representatives of community-based and
national youth programs from around the world to focus on best practice approaches to countering the violent
radicalization of youth, and to bring awareness to the exploitation of young people around the world by violent
extremist groups. The conference was launched at the initiative of State/IO. Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin
Ahmed Al Khalifa supported the conference enthusiastically, and Bahrain's MFA expressed interest in hosting a possible
follow-on conference. End Summary. ------------------------------ Conference Agenda & Background ------------------------------
2.(U) In addition to the FM, the conference benefited from the input of a number of distinguished participants,
including: --Joseph G. Jabbra, President, Lebanese American University, --Marcio Barbosa, UNESCO Deputy
Director-General, --Andres Pastrana Arango, former President of Colombia, and --Dr. Ira Dosovitz, development expert,
Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University School of Medicine. The U.S. Department of Education's Assistant
Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Kerri L. Briggs led the American delegation.
3.(U) UNESCO organized the conference around six broad themes designed to promote a dialogue on best practices in
countering and preventing violent radicalization amongst young people: --building confidence and leadership skills,
--curricular and extracurricular approaches, --employability and job skills, --technology and 'connectedness',
--information and the media, and --the community impact of youth development. ----------------------- Opening Plenary
Session -----------------------
4.(U) Over 200 people attended the Opening Plenary Session, including NGOs, foundations, community and national leaders,
and high-level dignitaries from Bahraini ministries and the local diplomatic corps. The conference opened with comments
from Jabbra, Barbosa, Pastrana, Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid, Executive Director of the Bahraini General
Organization for Youth and Sport Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, and Bahraini member of parliament Adel Al
Ma'awda. Comment: Al Ma'awda was an unscheduled contributor to the morning's program, whose appearance was worked out
directly between the GOB and UNESCO. Ma'awda, a Salafi MP predictably spoke in defense of Islam, although no one had
critcised it, and despite the symposium's emphasis on the global nature of violent extremism. End comment.
5.(U) As host, the Bahraini government was heavily involved in the planning and implementation of the conference. The
Crown Prince hosted a reception for all attendees on Sunday, June 15 at the National Museum. The conference took place
under the patronage of Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, and the MFA played an important
role preparing for the event. Bahrain's General Organization for Youth and Sports (GOYS) was also actively involved.
GOYS Executive Director Shaikh Fawaz told the plenary, "We are aware that we must give youth the skills they need to be
tolerant of other cultures and values." The Crown Prince's Court also arranged for a young Bahraini to record a
testimonial (see below.) ------------------ MANAMA 00000472 002 OF 004 Youth Testimonials ------------------
6.(U) The opening session included two youth testimonials -- one a video statement given by a former member of a
Washington, DC gang who recounted his story of joining and ultimately escaping this violent group, and the strength he
has gained through becoming an active participant in organized community service work. The other was an audio statement
by a Bahraini youth who grew up surrounded by those who he said, "used their fists instead of their minds", describing
how he avoided this path by taking advantage of the critical thinking education and tangible skill programs offered in
Bahrain. As Chairman Jabbra commented following these testimonials: "Though they come from different parts of the world,
they share similarities. Both were at that stage in their adolescence in which young people instinctively search for a
distinct identity...both were surrounded by violent extremist groups seeking to exploit this impressionable age
group...ultimately, they each developed a strong sense of self-esteem, competence, and found constructive outlets for
their self-expression." ------------------- Conference Sessions -------------------
7.(U) One morning panel session stressing partnerships highlighted the roles different actors can play - NGOs, private
sector, local and national government, international organizations, and foundations - in providing positive alternatives
for youth. Youth who have positive alternatives are less likely to succumb to the recruitment tactics of extremist
groups. In the afternoon the symposium adjourned to a series of six themed breakout sessions. Each breakout included 4-6
presentations by individual NGO practitioners, covering a broad geographic spectrum, followed by 45-60 minutes of
discussion. The breakout sessions were filled to capacity, and participants contributed throughout. The breakout
sessions were as follows: -- Building Confidence, Competence and Leadership Skills through Community Action: Mentoring
Counseling, Volunteering, and Outreach. Discussion led by Americorps*NCCC Director of Projects, Charles Davenport. --
Curricular and Extracurricular Educational Approaches. Discussion led by Khabir Shaik, Director for Education UN Relief & Works Agency. -- Employability and Job Skills. Discussion led by Amal Al Dossari, head of the Bahrain General
Organization of Youth & Sports. -- Technology and Connectedness - Promoting Life and Social Skills, Networking and Knowledge Sharing.
Discussion led by Anwarul Chowdhury, former UN Under Secretary-General; former Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to
the UN. -- Information and Media. Gary Knell, President of the Sesame Workshop opened with a segment on the importance
of providing young people with critical thinking skills, in stark contrast to the manipulative indoctrination of Al-Aqsa
(Hamas) TV's "Farfour". (Note: "Farfour" was the Mickey Mouse look-alike who appeared on the "Pioneers of Tomorrow"
program encouraging Palestinian children to seek martyrdom in Hamas' ranks. End note.) -- Youth Development Perspectives
- Community Impact. Discussion led by Arief Rachman, of the Indonesian Ministry of Education. ------------ Key Findings
------------
8.(U) UNESCO Assistant Director for Strategic Planning Hans d'Orville summed up the key findings of the conference,
including: -- Around the globe, unwanted and unemployed youth are increasingly vulnerable to organizations that
manipulate them and drive them into violent extremism. MANAMA 00000472 003 OF 004 -- Hope, opportunity, and a sense of
community help combat the allure of violent extremism. -- Sustainability must be built into youth program models. --
Programs that contribute to character formation and a sense of community are highly effective. -- Information and
communication technologies (ICTs) are effective at linking global youth together to build common values. They also
provide youth a voice in speaking out against violence, and contribute to job creation. -- Youth participation in
program development and implementation are seen in most successful program models. -- Youth programming should exist for
both boys and girls. -- Public/Private partnerships can develop economic opportunities for youth that steer them away
from violent organizations. -- Programming that provides 'Open Spaces' for youth to engage is effective. -- Education
helps improve critical thinking skills and plays a crucial role in combating extremism. -- Youth programs should be
culturally relevant to the populations they serve. -- The development of Bahrain's national youth strategy was a good
model, as it included participation from all societal stakeholders including youth. -- The "Manama Findings" called upon
UNESCO to disseminate information about best practices and induce the development of partnerships.
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- A/S Briggs rolls out bilateral Access Plus internship
program --------------------------------------------- ----------------
9.(U) At a press conference on the final day of the meetings, A/S Briggs announced the launch of the Access Plus program
in Bahrain. Access Plus will take young Bahraini graduates of post's English programs and fund their placement with
local companies as summer interns. It is an extension of the highly successful English Access Microscholarship program,
providing internships, workplace preparedness support and seminars, and intensive English language training for Bahraini
youth. Up to fifty Bahraini youth will participate in the first year of the program. A/S Briggs noted that "...education
and youth engagement are our most powerful tools for overcoming fear and ignorance and promoting respect and mutual
appreciation." A/S Briggs' remarks were carried by all major Bahraini English and Arabic dailies and on Bahrain TV.
10.(U) Comment: In taking on violent radicalization, UNESCO broke new ground and showed it could deal pragmatically with
a sensitive topic. Thanks to the efforts of the U.S. Government and UNESCO itself, the conference identified and
included an impressive list of NGOs from around the world who are working on this issue. Many participants clearly
welcomed the chance to get together, and there was genuine interest from the audience which, although international, was
heavily drawn from Gulf countries. Significantly, there was general agreement among audience members and participants
that violent radicalization is a problem that genuinely affects them.
11.(U) The conference achieved the State/IO objectives of taking advantage of our membership in UNESCO to draw attention
to this issue, and to bring organizations and stakeholders together from around the world to focus on solutions. The
symposium was well-attended, participation was high, and the Government of Bahrain was an active supporter. The U.S.
made the only announcement of extending a current program or of future partnerships, but after-action includes
encouraging UNESCO to leverage the Compendium of MANAMA 00000472 004 OF 004 Projects posted on their website
(www.unesco/en/youthcrossroads) to initiate new adaptations and partnerships. End Comment.
12.(U) IO/UNESCO and USUNESCO Paris have cleared this message. ********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX********************************************* ******** HENZEL