"Say No to Extremism!": International Youth Legal Forum Held at PSU for the 13th Time

The XIII International Youth Legal Forum "Say No to Extremism!", held on November 22 at Penza State University, became a significant event in the fight against extremism in Russia and abroad. The forum's more than ten-year history, which began in 2012, testifies to its constant relevance and effectiveness.

This year, the event attracted an impressive number of participants, both in person and online, including leading legal scholars, representatives of law enforcement agencies, public organizations, clergy, media representatives, and, most importantly, students from Russia and abroad.

This underlines the international significance of the forum and the need to form a united front in the fight against extremist ideologies that know no borders.

Opening the plenary session, Gleb Sintsov, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at Penza State University, rightly noted the particular vulnerability of young people to extremist propaganda.

In today's information space, saturated with flows of disinformation and hatred, young people, who often lack critical thinking, become easy targets for recruiters and manipulators. Actively involving young people in discussing extremism issues, providing them with knowledge about counteraction methods and developing critical thinking skills is a key moment in preventing the spread of extremist views. The participation of international students in the forum is an important step towards international cooperation in the fight against the global problem. Sharing experiences and best practices in countering extremism in different countries can significantly increase the effectiveness of measures.

"Time has shown the special significance of the topic which the forum is dedicated to. We all see how the situation around the Russian Federation is currently developing. The most vulnerable part of society, which is most susceptible to all attacks, threats and influence from ill-wishers, is the youth. Students, including international ones, participate in our forum. I am sure that the participation of our young generation in the discussion of the roundtable agenda will yield good results," Gleb Sintsov emphasized.

The forum has long gone beyond the Penza region. Over the years of its existence, it has transformed into a large-scale project, including expeditions to the regions of the North Caucasus. Visiting sessions in North Ossetia-Alania and other regions of Russia allowed the forum participants to get a direct idea of the situation on the spot, study the features of the spread of extremist ideas in specific social groups and develop more effective methods of counteraction. Thematic conferences, round tables and discussion platforms held in various cities of the country - all these events contributed to the wide dissemination of knowledge and experience.

The vast experience and materials collected during the years of the forum's work formed the basis of the collective monograph "Counteracting Extremism in Modern Russia: From Theory to Practice", edited by the Governor of the Penza Region Oleg Melnichenko. This demonstrates a serious approach to the problem and the importance of the results of the forum's work at the state level, Gleb Sintsov emphasized. The publication of the monograph planned for this year will become a valuable source of information for specialists, researchers and all those interested in countering extremism.

It is important to understand that the fight against extremism is inextricably linked with the protection of human rights and freedoms, since extremist ideologies are often based on hatred and discrimination. Therefore, it is important not only to suppress extremist activity, but also to create conditions for the formation of a tolerant and respectful society. The forum "Say No to Extremism!" makes a significant contribution to this work, promoting the prevention of extremism and the formation of a civic position among young people.

The Human Rights Commissioner for the Penza Region Vladimir Fomin also spoke about the great importance of such events. Having recalled the essence of extremism, Vladimir Fomin also emphasized the special influence that they are trying to exert on the younger generation. "Young people are mobile, easily influenced, sometimes without thinking about the consequences. Having studied the issue from various points of view, we can and must do everything to counter this evil. Legal education is of particular importance. It is one of the important tasks of this forum," Vladimir Fomin noted.

The First Vice-Rector of the Penza Theological Seminary, Archpriest Nikolai Groshev, wished the forum fruitful work and added that the very name of the forum reflects both the topic under discussion and the vector of our actions. "Extremism is undoubtedly one of the most serious problems that the Russian state and humanity as a whole face. Religious extremism is also terrible," Archpriest Nikolai Groshev concluded.

Deputy General Director of the Express Media Holding Denis Abramov touched upon the special role of the media in the fight against extremism: “A journalist cannot simply be an informant who states facts and reports on events. They cannot be indifferent. Journalistic creativity must necessarily contain a moral component that reflects professional opinion and civic position. The journalistic word is a kind of special tool. Representatives of the media must be comrades for law enforcement agencies in the fight against extremism. To expose, prevent and, first of all, in their work focus on conveying to their audience, including young people, the terrible consequences that extremist activity can lead to.”

Director of the Penza branch of the Russian Society “Znanie” Andrei Grachev added that in the fight against extremism and terrorism, it is important to understand the causes of these phenomena. “If we do not overcome the causes of these manifestations, we will never be able to overcome these phenomena ourselves,” he noted.

One of those who stood at the origins of the first expedition of the forum participants to the North Caucasus was Pavel Shuvalkin, who is currently the acting Deputy Governor of the Kherson region for security.

"Over 12 years, the forum has become an important tradition, a calling card of Penza State University. As part of the discussions, there is an exchange of opinions and experience, the establishment of interregional and international interactions," noted Pavel Shuvalkin.

Deputy Director of the Institute of History and Archaeology of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania Kazbek Yenaldiev, a regular participant in the forum, also, like Pavel Shuvalkin, joined the online format.

Kazbek Yenaldiev wished the forum participants productive work and addressed the youth present in the hall with special words.

"I want to wish our young people to treat the older generation with honor. The words "Russia begins with me!" should become an important idea for each representative of the younger generation. I wish that our ways were always happy, filled with meaning, leading to honor and glory," Kazbek Yenaldiev summed up.

The forum became a landmark event in the scientific world and public life of the Penza region and other regions. This year, the participants announced more than 80 reports on current topics.

A plenary report on the topic of "Forensic counteraction to the rehabilitation of Nazism as a manifestation of extremist activity" was given by Karina Skripko, a student of the Belarusian State University.

The following topical issues were discussed in the three sections of the forum: the system of counteracting religious extremism in modern conditions, extremism as a threat to national security, information technologies in counteracting extremism. The participants shared their opinions, practical recommendations, discussed new technologies for combating extremism and problems of international cooperation. They also discussed the special importance of interdepartmental cooperation and coordination of efforts of all interested parties. The forum not only summed up the results of the work over the past year, but also outlined the prospects for further activities to counter extremism in Russia and abroad.

The success of the forum "Say No to Extremism!" is largely determined by its interdisciplinary nature. Lawyers, sociologists, psychologists, religious scholars, representatives of law enforcement agencies and many other specialists took part in the discussions. Such an integrated approach allows us to consider the problem of extremism from all sides and develop more effective counteraction strategies. The experience of holding the forum can be used in other regions of Russia and abroad to organize similar events aimed at counteracting extremism.

The event was held within the framework of a subsidy from the federal budget to educational organizations of higher education for the implementation of events aimed at supporting student scientific communities.