Cairo: Chairman of the Board of the State Information Service (SIS), Ambassador Alaa Youssef, met with Dr. Reham Salama, Executive Director of the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism, to discuss expanding cooperation in countering extremist ideologies, refuting hate speech, and strengthening youth intellectual resilience.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the discussions focused on joint strategies to implement awareness programmes and leverage the expertise of both SIS and Al-Azhar Observatory, supporting Egypt's efforts to promote a culture of peace and tolerance and to correct misconceptions. Ambassador Youssef praised Al-Azhar's historic role under the leadership of Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, emphasizing the institution's prominence as an Egyptian soft power promoting values of moderation globally.
Ambassador Youssef commended the Al-Azhar Observatory for its comprehensive awareness framework to safeguard national identity, monitor the digital sphere, protect youth from radicalization, and engage the public by refuting false claims about Islam. He reaffirmed SIS's commitment to expanding cooperation with national institutions, stressing that confronting extremist ideology requires fostering awareness and enlightened thought, not just security measures.
He highlighted SIS's role as Egypt's gateway to the world, emphasizing its dedication to showcasing Egypt's intellectual and cultural efforts against terrorism and extremism. The collaboration with Al-Azhar Observatory is seen as vital to strengthening Egypt's international outreach and presenting its pioneering experience in countering extremist ideology.
Dr. Reham Salama explained the Observatory's integrated operating model, highlighting the need for rapid monitoring and response tools to counter extremist content on digital platforms. She noted the Observatory's analysis of extremist content in 13 languages, rigorous academic research, and development of targeted counter-narratives for young audiences.
Dr. Salama also discussed the Observatory's work in monitoring and countering hate speech and Islamophobia through a religiously grounded approach, aiming to correct misconceptions and provide assessments of regional and international trends in violent extremism.
The meeting concluded with a tour of the Observatory's departments and units, where Ambassador Youssef was briefed on its monitoring systems and research activities. He praised the Observatory's advanced technological capabilities and the professionalism of its young researchers, recognizing it as a globally acknowledged intellectual platform for countering extremist ideology.