RAN CSEP BRIEFING: Extremely EUnited

The Extremely EUnited project aims to prevent radicalisation on online platforms by providing alternative narratives. The project consists of seven campaigns aimed at vulnerable youth (13-25 years), teachers, and social workers in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, Italy, France and Spain. The project partners collaborated in campaign based groups and actively implemented the project activities in their countries.

The general objective and priority of the Extremely EUnited project is to prevent online radicalisation of youth by promoting peaceful coexistence, social inclusion, and a common and positive identity, empowering the voices of young people who spread peaceful messages, and developing resilience mechanisms and critical thinking tools within the framework of European fundamental rights and values; and to dissuade those who are already sensitive to radicalisation.

Youth involvement and awareness rising efficiently sustained during the project life cycle. More than 500 young participants were involved in the offline activities that were implemented in Belgium, Italy, Spain, France, Sweden, Estonia, and the Netherlands, as well as online workshops. Besides, 160 young people acquired more information about PVE, especially threats in the online platforms by actively contributing to the content creation. Their contribution was presented in the project channels (see YouTube channel) and in the final exhibition.

41 videos are published and disseminated in the Extremely EUnited social media channels so far. Since June 2020, project social media channels have actively promoted the campaign messages. Engagement rates are expeditiously increasing. More than 10 million reach and 20 million impressions have been achieved so far.

This paper follows a briefing structure, in which it summarises the campaign, the main achievements of the project, the lessons learned on online campaigning in preventing and countering violent extremism (PVE/CVE), and also includes links to some of the campaign messages.