The role of research centers and think tanks in combating extremism and terrorism

2025-10-27

The Role of Research and Study Centers in Combating Extremism and Terrorism
On Monday, October 27, 2025, Mr. Mudhaffar Al-Rubaie, Director of Public Relations and Media at Bayt al-Hikma, participated in a workshop titled “The Role of Research and Study Centers in Combating Extremism and Terrorism.” The event was organized by Al-Nahrain Center for Strategic Studies, affiliated with the National Security Advisory, in response to the Center’s invitation to Bayt al-Hikma.
The workshop discussed the main procedures and mechanisms adopted by research and study centers in addressing the issue of combating terrorism and extremism from theoretical and research perspectives. It emphasized the need to address the root causes that lead to religious and intellectual intolerance, as well as the importance of analyzing and sharing data and information with the country’s security, service, educational, and cultural institutions.
Mr. Al-Rubaie presented a comprehensive overview of Bayt al-Hikma’s prominent achievements in combating extremism and terrorism. He highlighted the main themes explored in related seminars, conferences, and workshops, in addition to presenting detailed statistics on the studies and research papers submitted during these events. He also pointed out the key challenges faced by state institutions in dealing with these phenomena, which have negatively affected Iraqi society in recent years, and provided essential recommendations and solutions to address them.
The workshop concluded with several recommendations directed at research and study centers, most notably the establishment of a National Council for Research Coordination, to unite all research and study centers as a national platform for strategic knowledge in the field of research and theory. The recommendations also called on these centers to develop and implement community programs that promote awareness and national belonging while rejecting imported ideologies and extremist ideas.