OSCE Mission to Montenegro completes two training sessions as part of “LIVE” programme

As part of the “Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism – LIVE” programme, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, together with Forum MNE, conducted two online training workshops for seven young participants from several Montenegrin cities from 7 to 11 September and 2 to 6 November 2020.

“Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism – LIVE” is a multi-sectoral programme of the OSCE aimed at building the capacity of civil society – youth, women and community leaders – to support the community in preventing terrorism and countering violent extremism leading to terrorism (P/C VERLT).

During the first online training course in September, participants acquired necessary knowledge and skills to develop project ideas related to P/C VERLT. Over the two-month interim period, the participants, in consultation with the trainers, defined their project ideas, which they finalized in project proposals at the second workshop in November.

These young leaders now have the skills to effectively and safely promote and undertake local P/CVERLT projects to raise their community’s awareness and promote peace and tolerance. They will implement their projects with the support of the Mission

By using a multi-dimensional and cross-sectoral approach, the LIVE initiative promotes grassroots awareness-raising to build resilience and promote alternative narratives and opportunities for positive change. Nikola B. Šaranović, the Mission's National Project Officer for LIVE Programme, who was a co-facilitator with Elvira Hadžibegović Bubanja, Executive Director of Forum MNE, pointed out that “in Montenegrin CVE Strategy and Action plan, young people are recognized as a particular target group and their activism as a special contribution in this field."

Speaking at the November workshop, Dragan Pejanović, National Co-ordinator for P/CVERLT, said that although the threats from violent extremism and terrorism are at the low level in Montenegro, the country has been building capacity for facing this challenge continuously. “Montenegro has a systematic approach to the problem of radicalization and violent extremism, establishing a quality strategic, legislative and institutional framework for recognizing, preventing and combating these global phenomena. The 2019 and 2020 European Commission Progress Reports recognized these results.”

Presenters at the workshops included Dragan Koprivica, executive director of the Centre for Democratic Transition, Dragica Rajković, head of the Treatment Department in the Directorate for Execution of Criminal Sanctions, Milica Bogdanović, director of the “Road without Return” movie and Anđelija Lučić, manager at the Youth Forum for Non-Formal Education.