(Politico) European Council President Charles Michel on Monday called for the creation of a European institute to train imams as a way to curb hate speech and prevent terrorism.
Speaking in Vienna, where he paid tribute to the victims of last week’s terrorist attack, Michel said he believes a school for imams could help “to fight against extremist ideologies, violent extremism, messages of hatred, messages of rejection that feed these terrorist actions.”
“It is important to be firm about this,” Michel said at a press conference with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. “I think, for example, that we should have debates at the European level in connection with the idea that was raised some time ago of setting up a European institute for the training of imams, to ensure that this message of tolerance and openness can be conveyed at the European level.”
