Violent extremism has become hallmark of our time: UN official

Violent extremism has changed the nature of conflicts and become a hallmark of our time, affecting everyone, everywhere, a high-ranking UN official declared on Thursday.

Michael Moller, director-general of the UN Office at Geneva, told officials and experts from across the world gathered here that transnational forces of violent extremism and organized crime combined with terrorism were active.

Speaking at the opening of the Geneva conference on preventing violent extremism, the UN official said messages of religious, cultural and social intolerance fostered by violent extremists were adversely impacting many regions of the world, making unresolved and prolonged conflicts even more intractable and creating daunting humanitarian crises.

"They are fueling cultural, religious and ethnic divisions," he noted.

According to Moller, providing sustainable development opportunities, reducing inequalities, safeguarding human rights, and providing a hub for mediation and peace negotiations, would all help change realities on the ground where they were better suited to resist extremism.

He also said succeeding in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism was a "high priority" for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during his last year in office this year.

The two-day UN conference kicked off on Thursday. Endit