Belgian Foreign Minister visits Hedayah Centre

Abu Dhabi, 26th March, 2015 (WAM) - Didier Reynders, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, along with a high-level Belgian delegation have visited Hedayah, the International Centre of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). The meeting also included a lunch held in the honour of the esteemed visitors. The visiting delegation is part of the 400-strong Belgian trade mission visit to the UAE, led by the HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium. The purpose of the visit was to introduce Hedayah and the Centre’s values, mission, vision, priorities and its achievements thus far. He commended the leading role the United Arab Emirates, the host country, in supporting the establishment of Hedayah since its launch in December 2012. Maqsoud Kruse, the Executive Director of Hedayah, led a roundtable discussion and an exchange of views on current CVE challenges and upcoming initiatives in place to tackle them, particularly in Europe. He also highlighted the crucial role of Hedayah along with the international community in preventing violent extremism with the support of UAE and other member states of the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF). Reynders and the members of the delegation praised the continuous efforts of Hedayah to CVE both regionally and on an international level, particularly CVE through Communications by hosting the first CVE Global Communications EXPO. They have also expressed its appreciation for and satisfaction with the educational, cultural, scientific, informational and urban development activities witnessed by the UAE. "This visit reflects the vital role Hedayah plays as an independent and international platform for experts and government officials to exchange expertise and best practices in CVE. Hedayah is a "Think & Do Tank" and this visit highlights a step forward to future collaborations between Hedayah and the related Belgian authorities", said Kruse. Reynders and the members of the delegation ended their visit with a tour around Hedayah facilities to include the Main Conference Rooms, the workstation, the Library, the Screening Room and the Training Rooms. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395278453680.html