In today’s global environment, no act of targeted violence or terrorism is solely a domestic concern. Individuals may be influenced by events, ideologies, and people from around the world — and their actions can have far-reaching consequences as well.
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) collaborates with experts around the world to share promising practices, learn from new research, and strengthen a global culture of targeted violence and terrorism prevention (TVTP).
CP3 embraces the responsibility to partner with other nations, learn from other countries’ challenges and successes, and strengthen a resilient global society. The Strategic Engagement and Policy Implementation team within CP3 operates on the principle that international partnerships can help prevention providers draw on the best evidence available and ensure a stronger future.
Since no single organization can entirely address the multifaceted problems of targeted violence and terrorism, a collaborative approach is essential. In addition to learning from international partners, CP3 staff share expertise and resources to empower practitioners around the world.
One annual opportunity to collaborate with international partners is the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence Conference on Countering Radicalization to Violence, also known as “MegaWeek.” In March, CP3 and other experts discussed community care standards, ethical considerations, journalistic standards, and practitioner exchanges between the U.S. and international partners. Staff had opportunities to hear from international experts on provider retention, recruitment, and training. While there, CP3 staff also participated in a meeting of the Five Country Ministerial Countering Violent Extremism Working Group and received commitments from Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada to execute a joint work plan on targeted violence and terrorism prevention topics. Held annually since 2013, the Five Country Ministerial serves as a key touchpoint for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States to discuss shared international and domestic security priorities.
CP3 staff and grantees recently presented at the Baden-Württemberg Competence Center Against Extremism (Konex) international specialist conference in Stuttgart, Germany, titled “Governmental Disengagement and Deradicalization Work Within an International Context: Experiences, Research, Exchange.” The conference gathered law enforcement professionals and researchers from around the world to discuss ways to strengthen national, state, and local prevention efforts. Staff shared CP3’s approach with international researchers, including the emphasis on building state strategies and working with public health professionals.
Opportunities for international engagement don’t always require travel. CP3 recently hosted experts from the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI). During this visit, CP3 staff demonstrated how TVTP works in the real world through site visits with TVTP grantees and discussed ways to build international prevention practitioner and provider capacity. Since Germany also has a federated model of government, experts discussed best practices for national and state systems. Staff and guests also discussed establishing joint research and practitioner exchanges.
Gatherings like these help CP3 support local prevention, globally. Good ideas can come from anywhere, and through these engagements CP3 ensures that the best practices in prevention are available here at home.