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To mark the fourth commemoration of the International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism, on 12 February 2026, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT) will convene a high-level special event on Preventing Violent Extremism in the Digital Age. The event is organized under the framework of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact Working Group on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism.

Held at United Nations Headquarters in New York, the event will be guided by the theme ¡°Preventing Violent Extremism in the Digital Age: Anticipating New and Emerging Technologies Risks and Opportunities, Safeguarding Human Rights, and Empowering Future Generations¡±.

As 2026 marks the twentieth anniversary the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the tenth anniversary of the Secretary-General¡¯s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, this year¡¯s commemoration provides a timely opportunity to assess progress, reaffirm collective commitments, and identify priority actions to strengthen prevention efforts - both offline and online ¨C in support of resilient, inclusive and peaceful societies

Background

Rapid digital transformation, including artificial intelligence, algorithmic systems, evolving social media and gaming platforms and other emerging online spaces, is reshaping how individuals and communities communicate, form identities and engage with the world.

While these technologies offer significant opportunities to strengthen efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, and to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, they are also increasingly exploited by terrorist actors, their supporters and sympathizers. Online platforms and digital tools can be misused to spread hate speech and harmful narratives, enable recruitment and gamified radicalization to terrorism, amplify mis- and disinformation, and mobilize support for violence, creating new and complex challenges for prevention efforts.

At the same time, new and emerging technologies are not the problem in themselves. When designed and used responsibly, digital platforms and algorithms can be powerful tools for prevention, enabling earlier detection of harmful trends, better understanding of pathways to radicalization to violence, more tailored and positive messaging, and more effective, community?centred and evidence?based prevention efforts

Event Programme

The programme of the event will include:

• Opening remarks from senior representatives of Iraq, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT and the co-chairs of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact Working Group on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism.
• A first panel discussion on the evolving global landscape of threats and opportunities, examining how new and emerging technologies (including artificial intelligence, algorithmic systems and new online environments, such as gaming and gaming adjacent platforms) are altering the dynamics of violent extremism and what this means for peace, security and human rights.
• A second panel highlighting successful capacity-building initiatives bringing forward voices from the ground, including programme managers and beneficiaries working directly with youth, women and communities to strengthen digital resilience and prevent radicalization to terrorism. Interventions from the floor, allowing Member States and partners to share perspectives, good practices and experiences