Workshop 6

Living together … or in parallel societies?

Thursday, 1 June, 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.

Room JDE 62

Workshop 6: "Living together … or in parallel societies? How can civil society help prevent marginalisation and radicalisation? How to preserve our freedoms in face of increasing security threats?" – organised by the EESC's SOC section

Diversity in Europe, especially in Western European cities, is increasing and there is more and more talk about "parallel societies". The assumed relation between migration and terrorism brings about additional polarisation.

Social divisions and exclusion are growing. Islamists are recruiting for jihad in Muslim communities, while many young people – particularly those with poor employment prospects – are attracted to openly xenophobic far-right groups.

Hatred and a willingness to commit violence are common to both far-right extremists and Islamists. Both groups feed off fear and both reject Western civilisation's values of freedom.

Civic resistance is needed to counteract the grooming of young people by radical groups. Avibrant and self-confident civil society is the best way to prevent radicalisation, and the state can and must help it to accomplish this. Civil society's efforts to help the marginalised neighbourhoods and to create counter-narratives to violent radicalisation also need more visibility.

10.00 – 11.20: Panel 1

Moderator and Scene-Setter: Cristian Pirvulescu, EESC member, rapporteur on 'Implementing the European Agenda on Security'

  • Ruby Gropas, European Commission, European Political Strategy Centre, Leader of the Social Affairs Team
  • Bart Somers, Mayor of Mechelen (Belgium), ALDE-Vice president and rapporteur of the opinion of the Committee of the Regions on 'Combatting radicalization: mechanism for prevention on local and regional level'
  • Fatima Zibouh, researcher, Centre for Ethnicity and Migration Studies (CEDEM), University of Liège (Belgium)

Debate with the audience

11.20 – 11.40 Coffee break

11.40 – 1.00 p.m. Panel 2

Moderator: Irini Pari, Member of the EESC SOC Section, president of the Ad-hoc Group on European Citizens' Initiative

  • Claire Fernandez, Deputy Director, European Network Against Racism - ENAR
  • Mohammed Ali, Founder and Chief Executive, QED Foundation (UK)
  • AssiaOulkadi, Project coordinator, Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations - FEMYSO

Debate with the audience