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Policy Planners’ Network (PPN)

Countering Polarisation and Radicalisation

27 - 28 October 2009
Amsterdam

The fifth meeting of the PPN was hosted by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior in Amsterdam on 27 – 28 October 2009 and brought together 30 policy planners and experts on integration, security, foreign relations and government communications from eight countries across Europe.  The meeting’s focus on ‘Government Crisis Management and Engagement with non-EU countries’ addressed one of the Council of the EU’s key concerns. 

The meeting sessions looked specifically at government communications during several high profile ‘crises’, namely, the Danish cartoons, Geert Wilders’ film ‘Fitna’ in the Netherlands, the cancellation of Deutsche Oper’s “Idomeneo” and the handling of the Gaza crisis in the UK media. Particular emphasis was placed on how to manage the relationship between communications and policy.  Discussions also centred on the complex relationship surrounding foreign policy and domestic counter terrorism efforts as well as long-term opportunities for cultural diplomacy through domestic Muslim communities.  ISD presented three working papers to the Network: a revised assessment of ideologies and movements toolkit, the draft comparative review of government crisis communications and the initial paper towards the development of an evaluation framework.