“The Role of Religious Educational Institutions in Countering Extremism”

A preventive lecture entitled “The Role of Religious Educational Institutions in Countering Extremism” was delivered to students of the Islamic University of Kyrgyzstan by Nurgazy Kyrgyzbaev, a specialist of the State Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic for Religious Affairs. During the lecture, the concepts of extremism and radicalism, the threats they pose to young people and society, ways to prevent the spread of radical ideologies, as well as the role and responsibility of religious educational institutions in this area were discussed in detail. Students were provided with guidance on how to properly assess religious information, use reliable sources, and recognize potentially harmful extremist and radical content disseminated on the Internet and through social media. The event was conducted in an interactive question-and-answer and open-discussion format, allowing students to raise issues of interest and receive relevant explanations from the specialist. Particular attention was paid to strengthening national unity and social cohesion, promoting tolerance and mutual respect, and preserving spiritual and moral values. As part of the event, students were also provided with informational and educational books on the prevention of extremism and radicalism, and the importance of using these materials for preventive and educational purposes was explained. As a result, the event contributed to raising students’ awareness of the threats posed by extremism and radicalism and ways to prevent them, improving their religious and information literacy, and strengthening the values of social cohesion and national unity.