The Soft Dimension of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Fight Against the “Three Evil Forces”. Insights on Counterterrorism Preventive Measures and Youth Education

This article examines the comprehensive and participatory component of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) approach to the fight against the “Three Evil Forces” within the theoretical framework of smart counterterrorism. After analyzing the problematic definitions of the concepts of terrorism and extremism, the authors choose to focus on the non-coercive preventive pillar of the SCO’s counterterrorism strategy through the prism of youth education. The emphasis is placed on the strikingly similar practices of SCO Member States in this field, whereby state and non-state actors foster partnerships to conduct cultural activities promoting the same values of patriotism, civic identity, interethnic and interfaith dialogue as a counter-ideology to the dissemination of radical ideas among the youth. The experience of SCO Member States in implementing inclusive counterterrorism programs serves as a basis for the evolution of SCO’s soft diplomacy, which has very recently entered a new phase in its development, following the first SCO Youth Assembly and Uzbekistan’s decision to support the SCO Youth Council. In this paper, the youth is analyzed as the primary target and actor of the SCO’s preventive counterterrorism efforts.