May 7, 2018
For Immediate Release
Canadians to Attend U.S. Program on Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization through Community Empowerment
OTTAWA – Canadian professionals in the fields of public policy, law enforcement, and non-profit leadership will visit Washington, D.C., and other U.S. cities from May 7 to 25 as participants in an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). The participants will examine initiatives to reduce barriers that traditionally impede community and law enforcement collaboration on countering violent extremism. The program is organized by the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
This program will focus on community and law enforcement collaboration for interventions for persons who are at risk of committing targeted violence, with a focus on successful bystander intervention programs in the United States. Participants will discuss online and in-person recruitment techniques of extremist movements and observe how American organizations deconstruct the appeals extremist movements make to vulnerable audiences.
Participants in the program are:
- Marc-André Argentino, Policy Analyst, Global Affairs Canada and PhD candidate, Concordia University
- Jérôme Champagne, Political Science Professor, Collège Maisonneuve Canada
- Adam Idris, Co-founder, Syrian Refugee Assistance Group, Calgary
- David Michael Zackrias, Staff Sergeant, Diversity and Race Relations Section, Ottawa Police Service
The IVLP enables Canadians who are emerging leaders in their professional field to observe U.S. institutions, practices, and culture first-hand, and to meet with professional counterparts to explore issues of common interest. Founded in 1940, the IVLP has given hundreds of thousands of emerging leaders — including more than 1,200 Canadians — the opportunity to observe and interact with American culture and society on a personal level. For more information, visit http://eca.state.gov/ivlp.
Participants are available for interviews before and after the program upon request.
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