Figure 1: The National Interfaith PCVE Youth Summit was attended by religious leaders, interfaith youth leaders, women of faith, government officials and civil society representatives at AACC as from 3rd to 5th September 2025
The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya, with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held the inaugural National Interfaith Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) Youth Summit in Nairobi from 3rd to 5th September 2025. The summit, the first of its kind, was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and the National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management (NSC). Other stakeholders included the Security Research and Information Centre (SRIC) and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC). With the theme “Building Resilient Communities Against Violent Extremism,” the summit brought together more than 200 young leaders, religious leaders, women of faith, government representatives, civil society actors, development partners, and members of the media.
Figure 2: Youth leaders from Maskani and Kenya Interfaith Youth Network at the Summit
Within three intense days of work, the summit created an open space for discussion, sharing experience, and co-creation of answers. Day One; set the tone with reflections by religious leaders, government representatives, and development partners, examining religious leadership in peacebuilding and countering violent extremism. Breakaway sessions weighed major areas of economic empowerment, governance, social cohesion, reintegration, and digital peacebuilding—engendering voice to the youth and partners in strategy development.
Figure 3: The Chief Guest of the National Interfaith PCVE Youth Summit Kibiego Kigen the Director General NCTC and the IRCK Chairman Rt. Rev. Willbard Lagho graced the Summit.
Day 2: Senior panel discussions pushed forward with discussions on the intersection of religious leadership, government response, and youth voices. Standout moments included the launch of the Kenya Interfaith Youth Manifesto; a bold articulation of youth aspirations, values, and commitments to promoting peace and resilience. The policy brief on PCVE was also agreed, to ensure youth voices shape national and institutional approaches.
“The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya pledges to walk with our young people, to trust them, and to build with them a nation where peace is not merely the absence of violence but the presence of justice, dignity and shared prosperity” – Mr. Linus Nthigai, IRCK Executive Director
Figure 4: The Launched youth manifesto offers practical solutions to preventing violent extremism in Kenya
Day three was used for consensus building. The delegates worked together to draft and sign the Summit Communiqué, which represented the collective vision of the summit. The communiqué was then published to the media, continuing to disseminate the six main resolutions of the summit: nurturing justice and social cohesion, advancing mental well-being and mental health, enhancing economic empowerment, building digital safety, youth leadership institutionalization, and breaking distrust in institutions.
Figure 5: The Chairman of the Summit and Co-Chair of Africa Interfaith Youth Network flanked by youth leaders during the media engagement session at the Summit
Throughout the summit, social media buzzed with poignant messages and live updates. Tweets and posts hugged the energy of youth demanding togetherness, the drive for religious leaders to be indispensable voices in countering violent extremism, and the bold step to position youth as equal stakeholders in building peace.
“May our participation remind us that peacebuilding without youth is peacebuilding without roots” – Rt. Rev. Willbard Lagho, IRCK Chairman
Figure 6: Ms. Kalonje, youth leader and peace ambassador calling for more platform governance to be created for youth.
The summit concluded with fresh hope and unity. Young people and faith leaders stood together on their common responsibility to dismantle hate and narratives of division as they journeyed on towards peace, justice, and inclusion for all. The Nairobi communique is a guide to action—a promise that the summit was not the end but only the start of an even stronger interfaith movement against violent extremism in Kenya[1].
” We need to create awareness to equip our fellow youth to delegitimise violent extremism by discrediting violent extremism narratives” – The Summit Chair & Co-Chair to the Africa Interfaith Youth Network, Mr. Ambrose Kilonzo
[1] https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GCDDgf_ejg–zuHDRukEN24kJFyIXg6g/view?usp=sharing
