Spotlight on The Year in Review 2022

In 2022, the violent extremist threat has continued to evolve. This year has seen a number of major socio- and geo-political events which have impacted communities right across the EU, such as: the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak of monkeypox, the ongoing war in Ukraine, a number of terrorist attacks, the continued spread of disinformation and conspiracy narratives, the worsening energy crisis, a new inflation crisis and rising interest rates. Such events have, among other things, resulted in socio-economic distress, an increase in polarisation and distrust in authorities. These factors, combined with the evolution in digital technologies, have given new opportunities to violent extremists to reach, engage, radicalise and recruit vulnerable individuals.

In the face of these challenges, RAN Practitioners has continued to connect frontline practitioners from all corners of the EU, from many different fields of work, to come together to share knowledge, experiences and ideas about how best to prevent and counter violent extremism (P/CVE). Through Working Group meetings, cross-cutting events, study visits, webinars and a series of papers, products and publications, RAN and its network of practitioners have been able to generate new insights which have informed the development of new practices and the delivery of new interventions.