“Prevention through education is fundamental in fighting violent extremism at school and in all fields in which encounters between people of different cultures, particularly young people, can be promoted”. In an interview with SIR, Mgr. Paolo Rudelli, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the Council of Europe, summarises the outcome of the CoE meeting on “Building inclusive societies together: the role of religions and non-religious beliefs in preventing radicalisation and violent extremism” which took place on 2-3 November in Sarajevo. “In a positive climate, despite the diversity of views”, there was “unanimous agreement” on this point. “The role that religious communities can play” by “working autonomously on the ground to promote dialogue” was also highlighted. “The religious dimension needs to be acknowledged since it is not an extra but is constitutive of the person”, Mgr. Rudelli concludes, referring to the words of Card. Vinko Pulijc at the meeting: tragic events have stressed the need to consider this aspect too. “Terrorism, motivated by religious ideology, is a perversion of religion” and is a sign of the “difficulties of dialogue between different cultures”. The religious dimension “is fundamental and should be part of the solution, not of the problem”.