The Ambassador of the United States of America to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, saidtoday at the “Engagement of Civil Society in Countering Violent Extremism” round-table that violent extremism could be prevented if the religious leaders and Kosovo families are involved.

 “Local communities are the most powerful asset that we have to prevent radicalism. Families, society and religious leaders carry the most important role in this war. I am proud of the strong partnership between the United States and Kosovo, in the war against extremism,” Delawie said.

“On the issue of CVE, of particular importance is the critical need to develop viable and effective ways to confront extremism and build resilience to radicalization and violence. The Embassy has strongly supported the Government of Kosovo’s efforts to tackle this issue.  And now that the Government’s Strategy and Action Plan for countering violent extremism is well established at the national level, it is critical that community leaders take the reins to ensure local level implementation moves forward.

“We can never know all of the reasons why extremism takes hold in the hearts of some, driving them away from family and community into a darker, more violent world.

But we are learning more and more about the roots of this radicalization, how it preys on young people at their most vulnerable – when they are jobless, when they see themselves without prospects or cause for dignity, when they feel most disconnected from the communities that nurtured them.

This does not happen overnight, and part of our collective challenge is to educate ourselves about the warning signs and to have strategies in place for what to do when we sense that something is terribly wrong.