MINSK, 3 September (BelTA) – The society can prevent and put an end to terrorism in the world, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Gabriela Cuevas Barron said at the opening of the international conference "Countering terrorism through innovative approaches and the use of new and emerging technologies" on 3 September, BelTA reports.
“I am here because I am convinced that we can prevent, stop and put an end to terrorism”, she stated.
“The only ideology terrorism is guided by is that violence is a tool, and demoralization of the society is the aim,” continued Gabriela Cuevas Barron. “This is the most urgent issue for the society and the world. The ideas of superiority and intolerance are the main enemies of diversity. The history of humankind remembers the importance of communication and tolerance," she added.
The IPU president noted that new technologies and information networks constantly emerge in the world. "The world is becoming faster, and it will not wait for us. Technology and technological solutions should be used as a tool to counter radicalization and terrorism. We live in an era of the Internet, nanotechnology, robotics, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. The development of these sciences allows people to rearrange their life, make it better, and communicate faster. We should take advantage of these opportunities. At the same time, we need to ask ourselves what the negative impact of using such technologies is," she noted.
The IPU is a global organization with more than 46,000 members. Its responsibilities include ratification of international agreements and further incorporation of international commitments in national legislations. The IPU president urged the participants of the conference to focus primarily on the interests of people.
She said that this conference is also dedicated to those who died during terrorist acts. Gabriela Cuevas Barron encouraged the participants of the conference to pay tribute to those who suffered from terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, New Zealand, and the USA.
