Against Violent Extremism (AVE) is a global network of former

extremists Extremism is "the quality or state of being extreme" or "the advocacy of extreme measures or views". The term is primarily used in a political or religious sense to refer to an ideology that is considered (by the speaker or by some implied share ...

, survivors of violence and interested individuals from the public and private sectors - working together to counter all forms of violent extremism. A partnership between London’s

Institute for Strategic Dialogue The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) is a think tank founded in 2006 by Sasha Havlicek and George Weidenfeld that specialises in research and policy advice on hate, extremism, and disinformation. It is headquartered in London, United Kin ...

, Google Ideas and the Gen Next Foundation. AVE's stated aim is to offer a platform for communication, collaboration and a means for activists to find resources and funding for projects.

Origins

AVE has its origins in the Summit Against Violent Extremism (SAVE), held in Dublin in the summer of 2011. The first major initiative by Google Ideas, SAVE brought together former extremists and survivors of violent extremism from around the world. The summit saw discussion of the common ground between different extremists,SEGALL, MANDY, Former Skinhead: 'My hate had no basis', ''Al Jazeera, ''July 2011, http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/06/2011630123643988652.html patterns of radicalisation and the factors leading people to leave violent groups. A common theme throughout the event was how much those working to prevent different types of extremism had to learn from one another. On the back of the conversations at SAVE, a permanent global network of former extremists and survivors of violent extremism called Against Violent Extremism was established. This network was officially launched by Google Ideas in New York in April 2012.

Goals

The network aims to amplify the voices of former extremists and survivors in an effective way to counter radicalisation. It aims to do so in three ways:

Networking

In bringing together a global network of former extremists of all ideologies with survivors of violence, AVE aims to facilitate the ‘cross pollination' of ideas between members in a way that makes all more effective. The inclusion of interested individuals from the private and public sector facilitates the exchange of dialogue and best practice.RAN INT/EXT WORKING GROUP, Proposed Policy Recommendations For the High Level Conference, ''Radicalisation Awareness Network, ''December 2012, http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-high-level-conference/docs/proposed_policy_recommendations_ran_int-ext_en.pdf

Support

Drawing on its contacts across different sectors, the network provides practical support for grassroots projects working to tackle extremism at a community level.

Advocacy

AVE advocates for the positive role that former extremists and survivors can play in preventing violent extremism.

Organisation

AVE is managed on a day-to-day basis by the London-based think tank

, who formally took over the management of the network from Google Ideas in February 2012. The network is entirely private sector funded with funding and strategic support supplied by Google Ideas and the US-based Gen Next Foundation. The network also benefits from website and technical support supplied by Belfast-based Rehab Studio.

High Profile Members

AVE has over 450 former extremists and survivors of violent extremism from around the world. Some high-profile examples include: *

Maajid Nawaz Maajid Usman Nawaz (; born 2 November 1977) is a British activist and former radio presenter. He was the founding chairman of Quilliam. Until January 2022, he was the host of an LBC radio show on Saturdays and Sundays. Born in Southend-on-Sea ...

Formerly of the Islamist group

Hizb ut-Tahrir Hizb ut-Tahrir (Arabicحزب التحرير (Translation: Party of Liberation) is an international, political organization which describes its ideology as Islam, and its aim the re-establishment of the Islamic Khilafah (Caliphate) to resume Isl ...

* Jo Berry A survivor of the Brighton hotel bombing in 1984. *

Vera Grabe Vera Grabe Loewenherz is a Colombian anthropologist, politician, and former member of the Colombian guerrilla M-19, of which she was also a co-founder. She successfully rejoined society through a peace accord that permitted rebels to disarm an ...

Former member and co-founder of Colombian Guerilla M-19 *

Jack Roche Jack Roche is an Australian convicted on a charge of conspiring to commit an offence provided for by the Crimes (Internationally Protected Persons) Act 1976 to destroy an internationally protected building, the Israeli Embassy in Canberra, Aust ...

Muslim convert and former Islamic extremist charged with plotting to bomb the Israeli Embassy in Canberra in 2000. * Carrie Lemack Co-Founder of Families Of September 11 *

Mubin Shaikh Mubin Shaikh is a former security intelligence and counter terrorism operative, currently a Professor of Public Safety at Seneca College and also Counter Extremism Specialist for the U.S.-based NGO, Parents for Peace. He rose to prominence in his ...

Former Islamist who went on to work for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. *

Christian Picciolini Christian Marco Picciolini (born November 3, 1973) is an American former extremist who is the founder of the Free Radicals Project, a global network working to prevent extremism and help people disengage from hate movements. He is the author of ...

Former neo-Nazi skinhead leader, co-founder of anti-racism nonprofit Life After Hate, author of ''Romantic Violence Memoirs of an American Skinhead''.

Criticism

There has been criticism that the project, which brings former extremists into the fold, has been naïve in overstating the impact they can have.GITHENS-MAZER, JONATHAN, Google's big idea against extremism needs to learn the important maxim of political violence: "no justice, no peace"?, ''Open Democracy'', July 2011 http://www.opendemocracy.net/jonathan-githens-mazer/has-googles-big-idea-against-extremism-needs-to-learn-important-maxim-of-poli More broadly, there is also scepticism surrounding the extent that lessons learnt in tackling gang violence on the streets of Los Angeles can be transferred to tackling the threat of Islamist extremism on the streets of Islamabad.

References

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