Today the United Nations marks the third commemoration of the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism, providing an opportunity to highlight the essential and ongoing commitment of Member States, the United Nations system and all relevant global partners - including civil society, religious leaders, the private sector, academia and the media - to unite in common efforts against violent extremism conducive to terrorism.
Violent extremism conducive to terrorism is a rapidly evolving threat worldwide, impacting stability, eroding social cohesion and fundamental freedoms. It continues to pose a threat to international peace and security, undermining the United Nations' efforts to foster sustainable development, promote respect for human rights, and deliver humanitarian aid.
This year’s observance of International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism takes place in the wake of the Summit of the Future, held in September 2024, where world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future - a landmark commitment from Member States to strengthen multilateralism and international cooperation to address today’s realities and prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.
The Pact for the Future, alongside the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the United Nations Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, underscores that effective prevention requires addressing root causes, strengthening community resilience, and promoting human rights, gender equality, and the rule of law through whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches.
In a video statement, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, called on Member States to turn their commitments to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism conducive to terrorism into meaningful action. "Preventing violent extremism involves strengthening communities, addressing grievances, empowering women and youth, investing in education, and ensuring inclusive development for all. It demands that we challenge hatred, misinformation, and the forces that seek to divide us, and instead foster dialogue, trust, and respect for human dignity. And it means recognizing that prevention is not a one-time effort but a sustained commitment”, he stressed.
To support Member States in preventing this threat, the United Nations and its funds, agencies and programmes design and deliver targeted capacity-building initiatives that yield tangible impacts on the ground with a focus on human rights and gender mainstreaming, and on developing sustainable partnerships. Through the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Compact PCVE Working Group, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), coordinates with vice chairs United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote coordination and coherence in the prevention work of the 46 entities that are part of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Compact.
For more information:
Website: bit.ly/2025-PVEDay
Hashtags: #PVEDay
Trello board with video, logos, social media assets: bit.ly/Trello-PVEDAY
Contact: Laurence Gerard (gerardl@un.org), Public Information Officer, UNOCT
