(Abu Dhabi) – The New Centre of Excellence in Abu Dhabi (Hedaya) has officially been launched to bring about the best practices and knowledge to fight extremism and terrorism. H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, said that the centre’s mandate will be three core areas: training, dialogue and research.
“The centre is dedicated to addressing the drivers and root causes of violent extremism. Hedaya will help the international community build potentials and share the best ever practices and researches to deal with violent extremism effectively. It is going to serve as the premier international venue for training, dialogue, collaboration and research to counter violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations,” Sheikh Abdullah said.
He added that the initiative could not be more timely as there is a global agreement on the need to prevent individuals from turning to the path toward radicalization, as well as to divert those already on that path before they are fully committed and mobilized.