IMCTC trains Maldives’ religious leaders on countering extremist rhetoric

The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) has conducted a training program for imams and preachers in the Maldives aimed at countering extremist rhetoric.

The capacity building program for imams and preachers took place in Male’ from May 4-8, as part of IMCTC’s ‘Wasata’ strategic initiative.

The program focused on four main themes:

• Propaganda tactics of extremist groups
• Methods of dissecting social issues and preaching needs
• Moderation principles of Islam and how to deepen them in preaching
• Sharing experiences, expertise and ideas on preaching

The program concluded in the presence of Chief of Defense Force Major General Ibrahim Hilmy, alongside senior state officials, representatives of various Maldivian institutions, and key stakeholders.

The program witnessed broad participation from imams, preachers, and orators, who received intensive training in key areas such as countering extremist rhetoric, effective community engagement, public speaking skills, and promoting moderation and balanced messaging in religious discourse.

Participants commended the sound organization and rich academic content of the program, stressing the need to continue such impactful initiatives that assist both educational and religious institutions in the protection of societies from the dangers of extremist ideologies.

The IMCTC is an intergovernmental counter-terrorist military alliance between 42 member states in the Muslim world, united around the war counter-terrorist activities.

The Maldives-based training program last week is part of IMCTC’s on-ground activities and aligned with its strategic vision to strengthen partnerships with member states through knowledge exchange, and to help religious leaders address the ideological challenges of extremism that undermine social cohesion and stability.