The College of Dentistry at the University of Basra, in cooperation with the Educational Guidance and Psychological Counseling Unit, organized an educational seminar entitled "Violent Extremism Leading to Terrorism: Understanding, Causes, and Educational Prevention."
The seminar aimed to introduce students to the concept of violent extremism and its intellectual, psychological, and social dimensions, explain its causes leading to deviant behavior, and highlight the educational role in mitigating this phenomenon within educational institutions.
The seminar, presented by Dr. Rafif Abdul-Hafiz from the College of Education for Women, included a scientific presentation of the most prominent factors leading to extremism, including intellectual isolation, weak critical thinking skills, and susceptibility to targeted digital content. It also reviewed preventative models based on promoting a culture of dialogue and national belonging.
The seminar emphasized the importance of integrated roles between the family, educational institutions, and the media in building a balanced personality capable of distinguishing between freedom of opinion and hate speech, thus contributing to protecting young people from being drawn into extremist ideology.
