NewsMuslim Filipina Academic represents RP in 4th Strong Cities Network Global Summit in Australia
Melbourne, Australia— Muslim Filipina and former National Youth Commission chair Amina Rasul-Bernardo represents the Philippines in this year’s 4th Strong Cities Network (SCN) Global Summit to be held in Melbourne Australia this month. She will speak about violent extremism, polarisation and populism on various countries throughout the world today.
Rasul-Bernardo, President of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID), a think-tank based in the University of the Philippines, is a recognized authority in the study of Violent extremism not just in the Philippines but in the entire ASEAN region. She founded the PCID in 2004 and is the only Filipino recognized as a Fellow of the Institute for Peace based in Washington DC.
Her work has seen her championing the rights of women and children in Islamic countries. Rasul-Bernardo has conducted and managed several ground-breaking research on the root causes of terrorism, violent extremism and conflict in both Islamic and non-Islamic states.
Hosted by the State Government of Australia, the SCN summit is the only forum in the world attended by top policymakers, practitioners, academics and other stakeholders who are researching or studying the impact of violent extremism, driving city leadership, and of finding effective approaches in fostering cooperation among various states and non-state actors against terrorism.
The Summit hopes to increase local and subnational frontline, non-law enforcement capabilities to P/CVE and build community resilience to hate and violence through improved coordination between national, municipal and civil society leaders.
Rasul-Bernardo is one of the panelists on the first day of the session with the topic Local Youth Engagement in Political Violent Extremism. The session, chaired by Ms. Sabine Barton, will feature youth designed campaigns showcasing the potential for young people to develop powerful and effective content that resonates with those at risk as well as the wider community. Panelists submit proposals on ways in which cities can positively engage young people in the prevention and resilience building activities.
On the second session, Rasul-Bernardo will speak on the topic of polarisation and populism chaired by Mr. Jonathan Birdwell, Head of Policy and Research of the ISD. The session aims to bring together academics and stakeholders to look for ways on how to surmount challenges affecting different communities and to what extent cities and local leaders can provide an effective and proactive balance that maintains peace, tolerance, open and respectful communities.