Countering Violent Extremism: Defining Current Challenges and Necessary Solutions #peacehackDC opening session

Violent extremist groups present a major challenge to global peace and security. Violent extremists are individuals who support or commit ideologically-motivated violence to further political goals. Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) encompasses the preventative interventions to undermine the attraction of extremist movements and ideologies that seek to promote violence. CVE efforts address the root causes of extremism through community engagement and outreach.

We are welcoming a panel of speakers who will discuss the challenges facing the CVE community today with the rise of extremist groups, such as ISIS, who are skillful in their use of technology for recruitment and radicalization. Panelists will discuss what types of solutions are working today to counter the efforts and narratives of extremist groups and what is needed to make CVE efforts more effective.

This panel serves as the opening session for #PeacehackDC.  #PeacehackDC is a 36-hour hackathon where teams of software developers, designers and peacebuilding experts will work together to develop technology solutions to counter violent extremism. Participants are being challenged to devise creative solutions that can counter the messaging and recruitment of extremist groups and, as a result, help mitigate violence and build peace. 

More information on #PeacehackDC and the application form for the hackathon can be found here: http://www.peacehackdc.com.

Schedule

9:00am-9:30am: Registration and Breakfast

9:30am-11:00am: Opening Remarks & Panel Discussion

Panelists 

Dara Katz

Deputy Executive Director, Secretariat for Countering Violent Extremism, USAID

Oliver Wilcox
Deputy Countering Violent Extremism Policy Chief, Bureau of Counterterrorism, Department of State

Elizabeth Hume

Senior Director for Programs and Strategy, Alliance for Peacebuilding

Sid Balman, Jr.

Managing Director, Turner4D

Panel will be moderated by Paul Turner, Senior Conflict Advisor, Creative Associates

Opening Remarks will be provided by Tom Wheelock, Senior Vice President and Senior Director, Communities in Transition Division, Creative Associates

Spots are limited for this event. Please RSVP to reserve your spot today.

Location
This event will take place at the Creative Associates Conference Center located at 5301 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC. The building is adjancent to the Friendship Heights Metro stop on the Red Line. When you arrive at the building take the elevators down from the main lobby to Level B1.

About #Peacehack
The first #peacehack took place in September 2014 in London as part of International Alert’s Talking Peace Festival. Following on from the success of #peacehack 2014, International Alert is partnering with several organizations to organize simultaneous hacks around the globe over the weekend of September 25-27, 2015. Peacehacks are taking place in Barcelona, Beirut, Colombo, Derry, London, Medellin and Washington, DC. All the hackathons will focus on developing groundbreaking ideas for using technology to build peace in cities, while exploring the challenges particular to each urban context – for example violent extremism in London and DC and migration in Barcelona.

Technologists, developers, designers and peace practitioners  can apply for the full 36-hour hackathon here: http://www.peacehackdc.com.