Salt, Nov. 4 (Petra) -- Participants in a dialogue session organized by the Balqa Cultural Forum in the city of Salt on Wednesday underscored the importance of pooling official, societal, and youth efforts to foster national unity, consolidate a culture of dialogue and acceptance of others, and counter hate speech and extremist ideologies.

Under the title "The Role of Society in Rejecting and Combating Extremist Ideology," the session explored avenues to confront radicalism and promote social cohesion. The event was attended by the Director of Balqa Culture, Amer Al-Shibli, alongside experts and heads of cultural associations and commissions.

Former Member of Parliament Ali Al-Hajahjeh stressed that Jordanians, both Muslims and Christians, constitute a single national fabric, living on one land and united by bonds of brotherhood, belonging, and a shared destiny.

He called for developing societal and media discourse in terms of message content, timing, target audience, and terminology. This approach, he noted, aims to formulate a conscious and responsible narrative that engages various segments of society, clarifies facts, and confronts rumors and radical ideas.

In turn, Ramzi Haddad, a local activist, affirmed the significance of social cohesion and national unity, rejecting any practices that target the community's security and stability or seek to sow division among its members. He warned against blindly following rhetoric and concepts without understanding their backgrounds and objectives.

Haddad emphasized that Jordanians share a common life and an authentic national partnership, adding that Jordan will never serve as an incubator for extremist ideologies or a platform for those seeking to exploit its land to incite discord and fragmentation.

For his part, youth activist Raed Al-Nsour highlighted the pivotal role of official institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), youth and community groups, cultural and charitable bodies, and places of worship in countering extremism.

He noted that the Jordanian state was founded on diversity, pluralism, and the acceptance of various intellectual, religious, political, and social components, asserting that Jordan's strength lies in the unity of its people and their ability to manage differences within the framework of citizenship and national belonging.

Al-Nsour called for the formation of a national coalition to combat extremist ideology, comprising official entities, civil society organizations (CSOs), and cultural, religious, and youth groups. He stressed the need for youth to be a central and active element in this coalition through peer-to-peer culture training, empowering them as partners in spreading awareness and confronting radical ideas within their communities.

The session concluded by reaffirming the importance of continuing national dialogues, positioning the event as a launchpad for a series of activities and programs across the Kingdom's governorates. These efforts aim to enhance community partnerships, solidify the values of citizenship, dialogue, and moderation, and immunize Jordanian society against extremist ideologies and hate speech.

//Petra// AF