IDM has organized information sessions gathering 120 representatives: pedagogical staff of high schools, Regional Directories of Education and Educational Offices of municipality of Pogradec, Cërrik, Përrenjas, Librazhd, Bulqizë and Kukës. These meetings are organised in November 2015 in framework of the awareness process initiated from IDM to prevent religious radicalism and violent extremism in Albania.
The aim of these meetings was to inform the pedagogical staff (specifically teachers of social studies), psychologists and administrative staff of secondary education institutions from the above mentioned municipalities on the main findings of the study “Religious radicalism and violent extremism in Albania”. The participants are informed on the main findings of the study responding to each municipality, factors that enable or drive religious radicalization and forms of violent extremism, perceptions regards level of the development of the phenomenon specifically on each municipality compared with the overall findings of the study. Participants are informed on the main recommendations of the study bringing attention to the key role of high school system on preventing regional radicalism and violent extremism among youth.
A number of issues and problematic are noticed during these meetings such as: need to give the appropriate attention to the early
identification of the phenomena among pupils, increase the role of secondary education institutions to raise awareness on religious coexistence, find alternative approach to address and prevent religious radicalism and violent extremism as well as address prejudices or discrimination because of religion.
Institute for Democracy and Mediation has launched the initiative #Sëbashku which aims to increase the role of youth on addressing and preventing religious radicalism and violent extremism in Albania. Training and awareness activities which will involve pupils of second education institutions will be organised during December 2015 and January 2016 in collaboration with local CSOs and informal groups in regions of Korca, Elbasan, Dibër, Kukës.