Vienna Forum on Countering Segregation and Extremism in the Context of Integration

Since 2021, on the initiative of Federal Minister Susanne Raab, there has been a deepening of cooperation and collaboration between several European states in the field of preventing extremism in the context of integration. Thematically, cooperation focuses on different forms of extremism, extremist ideologies, networks and actors that divide societies and undermine social cohesion, as well as the implementation of extremist goals through violence. In the context of integration, political Islam and Islamism pose a particular challenge. As Islamist networks do not stop at national borders, international cooperation is crucial.

In addition to intensified cooperation at the political, academic and official levels, this joint solidarity against extremism culminates in the annual Vienna Forum. Renowned international experts from the fields of science and research, think tanks, NGOs, NPOs, politics, administration, civil society and media form this high-level competence meeting in Vienna every year under the auspices of Federal Minister Susanne Raab.

The first Vienna Forum took place in October 2021, followed by the second conference in December 2022, including experts such as Gilles Kepel, Magnus Ranstorp, Lorenzo Vidino, Sir John Jenkins, and many more. In October 2023, Minister Raab invited more than 200 experts to Vienna. Political guests include the Danish Minister for Integration Kaare Dybvad Bek and the Greek Deputy Minister for Migration and Asylum Sofia Voultepsi alongside renowned scientific experts like Bakary Sambe, Ahmad Mansour or Tommaso Virgili.