The U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Press Center recently hosted a group of more than a dozen foreign journalists at START for a briefing on the consortium’s research into countering violent extremism.
The press tour – which also included stops in New York City and Minneapolis – was designed to give perspective on how partnerships among governments (both national and local), local actors, and community leaders can effectively counter violent extremism. It also aimed to provide insight into the role of the private sector and civil society in building and maintaining these essential community partnerships.
At START, the journalists met with researchers who spoke about projects on radicalization, foreign fighters, the Global Terrorism Database and Terrorism and Extremist Violence in the United States (TEVUS). They also heard briefings about START’s work on mental health and CVE, CVE training under development for FEMA, the National Summit of Empowering Communities to Prevent Violent Extremism and START CVE-inspired education initiatives.