Abu Dhabi [UAE], February 25 (ANI/WAM): Hedayah, the International Centre of Excellence for Countering Extremism and Violent Extremism, which is based in Abu Dhabi, has announced the appointment of Maqsoud Kruse, Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Countering Extremism and Terrorism, as the Chairman of its International Steering Board.

The International Steering Board of Hedayah consists of twelve member states, with the chairmanship held by the host country.

Hedayah is an independent international think and do tank that was established as an initiative of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and is hosted by the United Arab Emirates.

The Centre was inaugurated on December 14, 2012, by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, during the third ministerial meeting of the GCTF held in Abu Dhabi.

Hedayah operates through multilateral partnerships with international organisations and a network of global experts to deep dive into best practices and exchange knowledge in countering all forms of extremism. Its programmes include strengthening the role of families in preventing extremism, the role of education in protecting against extremist ideologies, enhancing youth resilience in cyberspace and on social media platforms to dismantle extremist discourse, utilising Artificial Intelligence and technology to combat extremism, supporting national strategies for the prevention and countering of extremism, assisting countries in national efforts for the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from conflict zones, and supporting community policing initiatives.

Notably, Kruse served as Hedayah's first Executive Director from its founding in 2012 until 2019. During his tenure, he was instrumental in establishing the centre's global reputation as the first independent international institution to bridge research and practice in countering extremism through dialogue, capacity building, and research at both regional and international levels. (ANI/WAM)