Broadening opportunities, building peace

People living in regions affected by violent conflict face a future of uncertainty and often delayed or lost opportunities. Young people, in particular, have few prospects and little hope. We partner with local actors — youth, civil society organizations, employers, governments and universities — to increase civic engagement, expand opportunities, share research and provide the tools required to navigate the world more effectively and to promote a culture of respect and peace.

Countering violent extremism

We are working directly with local actors in the Middle East and North Africa to share knowledge and develop local approaches to mitigate conflict and reduce recruitment to violent causes. A pilot program in the Maghreb/Sahel region brought together members of civil society organizations from Algeria, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger and Tunisia to share experiences and identify local drivers of violent extremism in their communities. To disseminate research and share ideas and experiences, we created an online Community of Practice.

Building mutual understanding

Through the International Visitor Leadership Program, we connect international leaders of tomorrow with U.S. leaders of today. Each year we bring more than 500 emerging leaders from around the world to the U.S. to meet their professional counterparts. In 2015, we arranged programs for visitors from more than 120 countries, building a network of support and mentorship and helping to accelerate the pace of development and positive change around the world.

Understanding the root causes of violent extremism

In Kosovo, we hosted a television show where panelists provided insights on the causes of violent extremism and the steps that civil society groups, government, religious authorities and the media can take to create sustainable solutions that combat violent extremism in Kosovo.

Read the English transcript.