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Ref. CG-CP035 (2016)

Rotterdam Summit: mayors and local and regional elected officials from 24 countries stand up to violent extremism

Rotterdam, 10 November 2016 - 131 participants from 24 countries, including 55 mayors and deputy mayors of European cities, gathered in Rotterdam for a Summit of Mayors for the “Alliance of European cities against violent extremism” on 9 November 2016. A joint initiative by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the City of Rotterdam and the European Forum for Urban Security, the Summit was opened by Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, Gudrun Mosler-Törnström, President of the Congress, and Roger Vicot, President of the French Forum for Urban Security and Mayor of Lomme.

After the Summit, they adopted a declaration reiterating the key role of local authorities as custodians of human rights, democracy and the rule of law at local level. Participants also emphasised the importance of pursuing multi-agency strategies, by developing a plan of action bringing together all local stakeholders involved in preventing radicalisation, allocating resources and co-ordinating action with different levels of government.

The cities involved in the Alliance against violent extremism pledged to pool their resources to train both local government staff and other actors working at the forefront to prevent radicalisation. Such training is intended to facilitate the implementation of local policies, as part of an inter-convictional approach, ensuring respect for cultural diversity and human rights.

Two years after the launch of the Council of Europe Action Plan on “The fight against violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism”, the Rotterdam Summit follows on from the Conference of Local Authorities on the Prevention of Radicalisation Leading to Violent Extremism, which was held on 18 November 2015 in Aarhus, Denmark. It is planned to hold a second Summit of Mayors in 2017 in Barcelona to enable European cities and regions to continue sharing experience and good practice.

Declaration of Rotterdam

Programme

Web file “Summit of Mayors in Rotterdam”

Contact :

Fritz Boehm

Secretariat of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

[email protected]

Tel.: +33 3 90 21 63 72

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Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Planning, Coordination and institutional Communication Unit

Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 48 95

Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 27 51

[email protected]

www.coe.int/congress

The Congress has two chambers, the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions. It brings together 324 full and 324 substitute members representing more than 200 000 European territorial communities.

President of the Congress: Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Anders Knape (Sweden, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP-CCE)

Political Groups: Socialist Group (SOC), Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CCE), Independent and Liberal Democrat Group (ILDG), European Conservatives & Reformists Group  (ECR)