Mensen met een Missie and partners organize exchange to counter online radicalization and promote human rights

From September 7 to 17, 2025, Indonesia will host the Youth Exchange on Polarization and Violent Extremism: a unique ten-day gathering of more than thirty young leaders from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, part of the Joint Initiative on Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) programme. In Jakarta, Bandung, and Yogyakarta, they will connect, learn, share and collaborate on one of the most urgent challenges of our time: how to counter polarization and violent extremism in the digital era, while promoting human rights and freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). Youth will not only meet each other, but also engage in dialogue with representatives of the Indonesian and Dutch governments and other embassies, bringing young voices directly into conversations with policymakers. 

Polarization as the breeding ground for radicalization

Polarization is far from an abstract concept. It is a lived reality that tears societies apart, from Europe to Africa to Asia. Rick van der Woud, director of Mensen met een Missie: “Polarization is the soil; radicalization the plant that grows from it. When trust collapses and nuance disappears, the ground is laid for dangerous narratives to take root.”

The digital world accelerates this spiral. Social media can create belonging across borders, but it can just as easily lock people into echo chambers of hate and exclusion. Extremist recruiters exploit this hunger for recognition and belonging by offering false promises of family and purpose. This is not something far away or limited to fragile states. Also in the Netherlands we see how polarization feeds mistrust and creates fertile ground for radicalization. This exposes wounds of injustice and exclusion that affect us all. Addressing them is not only an international priority but also a domestic necessity.

This is why Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) is one of the central themes of the youth exchange. PCVE is about much more than fighting ideology: it is about creating inclusive societies where grievances can be addressed peacefully, and where digital spaces offer dialogue instead of division. 

Youth as authors of new narratives

The exchange is organized by Mensen met een Missie together with four Indonesian partner organizations, including youth-led movements The Gusdurian Network and PeaceGeneration. Their involvement underlines that this is not just an exchange for youth, but also by youth. Participants will include young educators, students, and activists from countries such as Nigeria, Iraq, Kenya, Indonesia, and more. These youth will engage in knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer learning, digital facilitation training, peace education workshops, and field visits with Indonesian communities. They will exchange best practices in using creative media to safeguard digital spaces, prevent online radicalization, and promote FoRB and human rights.

At the heart of the program lies a simple belief: sustainable change begins with young people. As Rick van der Woud emphasizes: “We often tear down the old story, but we fail to offer a new one. We forbid, we warn, we dismantle, but we rarely write a script strong enough to embrace the longing for recognition, belonging, and purpose.” This exchange is designed to help youth create those new stories. Stories that offer meaning without exclusion, and purpose without violence. Indonesian youth Lindawati Sumpena gives an example: “Digital media and spaces like games have been used to foster conflict, bring divisions and hate. We will use the same spaces to bring peace. For example, instead of gamification of extremism we work on the gamification of peace.” 

Policy dialogue and collaboration

Beyond learning and inspiration, the exchange also aims for tangible outcomes. Youth will engage directly with government representatives, local leaders, and international institutions to share their perspectives and recommendations. Among them will be the Indonesian government, the Dutch government, and other embassies; important bodies whose participation shows that young people’s voices are being heard at the highest levels and ensures that these conversations resonate in the spaces where decisions are made. The exchange will conclude with a joint declaration and knowledge products, capturing best practices and pathways for youth-led advocacy on digital safety, FoRB, and peacebuilding.

By linking local realities to international policy, the exchange strengthens ties across countries and continents. It demonstrates that the voices of young people are not just valuable, but essential in shaping responses to violent extremism and polarization.

Towards a digital world of peace and belonging

In a time when trust in institutions is eroding and societies are increasingly divided, this Youth Exchange offers a counter-narrative: one of solidarity, creativity, and hope. For ten days, young leaders from different faiths, cultures, and countries will come together in Indonesia to imagine a future where digital spaces are not traps of division, but platforms for peace.