Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of CTED Jean-Paul Laborde with H.E. Pekka Matso, Ambassador at large for intercultural and interreligious dialogue process of Finland.
On 18 January 2016, Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) Jean-Paul Laborde met with H.E. Pekka Metso, Ambassador at large for intercultural and interreligious dialogue process of Finland with the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The conversation touched upon a large number of issues, including Finnish successes of promoting intercultural and interreligious dialogue both in Finland and abroad, Finland’s support for a joint initiative of the United Nations and the United States Institute of Peace on the role of religious and traditional leaders in countering radicalization and violent extremism, foreign terrorist fighters, and relevant aspects related to the flow of refugees and asylum seekers into the European Union. Ambassador Metso also outlined ongoing work in Finland to review its existing National action plan for preventing violent extremism “Towards a cohesive society,” stressing the importance to counter violent extremism.