Lebanese recipe.

THE adoption of the Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism (PVE) by the UN General Assembly in 2016 set the momentum for drafting of plans and strategies by a few countries, including Lebanon.

Lebanon's prolonged civil war (1975-1990) intensified its urge to find a path to sustainable peace. Recognising that ignorance about polarisation and VE may push the country back into civil conflict, the Lebanese government in 2017 started work on a national strategy for preventing violent extremism (NSPVE). The prime minister led the first of 30 consultative meetings, and in 2018 the cabinet endorsed the NSPVE, which consists of short-, medium- and long-term measures, with an elaborate monitoring and evaluation apparatus.

To prevent VE, 29 ministries have specific tasks. The education ministry, for instance, is entrusted with imparting training in non-violent conflict resolution at educational institutions and making schools into hubs for non-violent actions, including engagement in social work. It is developing educational curricula to prevent youth from being drawn to VE; the need to renounce marginalisation, disregard stereotyping, and respect diversity are other priority areas.

The culture ministry has been mandated to use cultural heritage and sites as platforms to renounce extremism and promote cultural diversity. The social affairs ministry is to provide support to poor families through targeted programmes to reduce social discontentment. Ensuring food security through agricultural policies, including training small landholders on techniques to increase agricultural productivity, will also help towards social stability.

Ministries have been given specific CVE tasks.

The youth is to be engaged in decision-making processes at all levels. Building their capacity to facilitate their integration into society and the labour market, including the tourism sector, is expected to attract 1.2 million visitors in the current year.

The human rights ministry has been entrusted with disseminating information about HR laws and penalties for violating them. Countering VE (CVE) warrants community participation in local governance and monitoring the implications of urban transformations. Building the capacity of municipalities to raise awareness regarding VE and its hazards is an innovative idea that needs worldwide adoption.

To prevent a drift towards VE among prisoners, particularly among juvenile delinquents, introducing rehabilitation programmes in...