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Newsletter - September 2016

September 19, 2016

Source: MIGS

Announcements

On 16-17 November 2016, MIGS will launch the first Professional Training Program on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). The two-day program will feature expert speakers on questions of radicalization, ideology, religion, law and privacy, mass atrocities, the role of traditional and new media, propaganda and more. For more information, to see the list of experts and to apply for the training program, please visit the event website

MIGS was awarded a grant from the US Embassy in Ottawa to establish the North American Working Group to Counter Violent Extremism Online. On 18^thNovember, leading academics, diplomats, government officials, journalists and civil society leaders from the US and Canada will meet to discuss and formulate strategies on countering violent extremism online.

MIGS has been selected by EdVenture Partners to represent Concordia University in the “Peer to Peer: Challenging Extremism Initiative” (P2P). P2P is a global university initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and Facebook to push back on hate speech and extremism around the world.

MIGS is pleased to welcome two new interns on its team. Isabel Tamoj from Germany (SciencePo Paris) and Silke Melbye-Hansen from Denmark (University of Southern Denmark) will work with us January 2017.

Past Events

September 5-6

Kyle Matthews, supported by the Global Diplomacy Lab, attended the BLED Strategic Forum in Slovenia on pressing political, security and development challenges in the region and globally. During the conference Matthews helped moderate the Night Owl session on violent extremism.

August 28 - September 2

Michael Petrou, non-resident fellow at MIGS, participated in a six-day tour for international journalists organized by the US mission to NATO Public Affairs and NATO Public Diplomacy Division. The participants visited NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium and the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC) in Amman, Jordan.

August 9-17
MIGS’ Distinguished Senior Fellow Roméo Dallaire joined Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan on a fact-finding tour in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as the federal government tries to narrow where to deploy soldiers in what it promises will be a return to a major peacekeeping role for Canada. The visit was mentioned in an article in The Globe and Mail titled “Defence Minister to tour Africa on mission to learn about peacekeeping”.

July 27-30
MIGS’ Youth Fellow and Project Manager Nicolai Pogadl attended the Aspen Security Forum on counter-terrorism.

In the Media

September 8

Kyle Matthews, alongside Simon Adams of the Global Center for the Responsibility to Protect, former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and UN Secretary General Candidate Helen Clark, was quoted in five-part series on the Responsibility to Protect and mass atrocity prevention written by Geoffrey Johnson in The Kingston Whig Standard.

“Genocide gave rise to R2P” (published 11^th August)
“How to make R2P work” (published 18^th August)
“World shirks responsibility” (published 25^th August)
“Genocide perpetrated by ISIS” (published on 1rst September)
“Civilians need protection” (published 8^th September)

Marie Lamensch was quoted in an article titled “US, Private Sector Join Forces in Anti-IS Social Media Project” published by Voice of America.

September 6
Patrick Reed, whom MIGS formerly collaborated with, has earned a News and Documentary Emmy nomination for his movie Guantanamo’s Child in the category Outstanding Coverage of a Current News Story — Long Form. The 37th Annual News and Documentary Emmys will be presented September 21, 2016, in New York City.

September 3
MIGS’s fellow Diego Osorio was interviewed in La Presse in the article titled“L’improbable paix en Colombie”.

September 2
Kyle Matthews was interviewed by the Canadian Press about the tragic death of Alan Kurdi one year ago and how it impacted Canada. The article was picked up myMacleans Magazine, the National Post, the Globe and Mail, Huffington Post, La Presse, Radio Canada and other media outlets.

September 1
Michael Petrou published an article in the National Post titled “Canadian Forces to help train Jordanian military for the fight against ISIL.”

August 30
Senior Distinguished Fellow Roméo Dallaire wrote an op-ed in the Ottawa Citizen titled
“Canada’s renewed role in peacekeeping should focus on child soldier”.

August 28
Marie Lamensch was quoted in an article on the difficulties of obtaining a visitor visa to Canada for MIGS’ training program in La Presse.

August 26
Frank Chalk was quoted La Presse in article titled “Les « Vengeurs du delta du Niger » déposent les armes pour négocier."

August 24
Kyle Matthews appeared on Radio Canada’s 24/60 to discuss the failed coup and crackdown in Turkey.

August 12
Kyle Matthews is quoted in an article in La Presse on the threat of terrorism in Canada:“Menace terroriste au Canada: efficaces, les engagements à garder la paix?”.

August 11
Michael Petrou published an op-ed titled “How Trudeau’s Foreign Policy could blow up in his face” in iPolitics.

Kyle Matthews and MIGS’ intern Egor Fedorov published an article “The West, ISIS and the “everywhere war” in Open Canada.

Kyle Matthews appeared on Radio Canada’s Midi Info to discuss the death of suspected terrorist Aaron Driver. He also gave an interview to Radio-Canada on radicalization and the role of social media.