Overview

The EastWest Institute, in cooperation with the Hollings Center in Istanbul, Turkey, will host “Challenging Extremist Ideology, Propaganda and Messaging: Building the Counternarrative” in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 28-29. 

This meeting, held under the Chatham House Rule, will convene prominent religious scholars and experts to formulate a coordinated response to extremist ideology. Attendees will aim to craft counternarratives of a stronger appeal, executed through a range of activities—from public diplomacy and strategic communications to targeted campaigns—to discredit the ideologies and actions of violent extremist groups. 

Amid the success of groups like ISIS in formulating and disseminating a narrative that has attracted sympathizers globally and maximized its amplification, there is a critical need for an alternative approach.