JNUS, under “USAID’s OBIRODH: Road to Tolerance programme”, had implemented two projects (2018-2020) for strengthening inter-community engagement at Ramu Upazila for Preventing Violent Extremism. This initiative was supported by the Management System International (MSI). It has empowered the youths and other social actors with peace-building and conflict resolution skills to take initiatives at the community level for preventing the norms and values responsible for fomenting radicalization at the local level. Their activism had eventually helped the youth, and the community leaders to become the agents of change by proactively engaging themselves with other stakeholders and influencing the local opinion. JNUS had initiated two inter-community platforms: 1) the youth forum and, 2) the Ramu Sampriti Parishad (RSP) to undertake initiatives for the promotion of social cohesion and peaceful coexistence across communities. The project contributed to create an environment where local community actors from Hindu, Muslim, Buddist and Rakhine ethnic Communities were encouraged to exchange views and self-evaluate their respective positions and attitudes. The main objective was to create mutual understanding and mutual trust among these communities so that they could come together in times of crisis and need.
