CICERO project (press release)

MODENA, 17/06/2019 – Zanasi & Partners has been awarded the European project CICERO (Counter narrative Campaign for Preventing Radicalisation), coordinated by the University of Turin and funded by the EC’s Internal Security Fund.

The overall objective of the project is to design and develop a campaign with the aim to spread counter-narrative messages addressing individuals at different stages of radicalization, as well as to empower (by enhancing resilience and critical thinking) civil society in the prevention and contrast of such phenomenon.

The project, started in February 2019 and to be implemented for until February 2021, involves technological companies, associations and various policy and research organizations from 3 European Countries (Italy, Spain and Belgium).

More specifically, the project consortium is composed by:

• Università degli Studi di Torino (UNITO);
• Zanasi & Partners (Z&P);
• Centro Studi Internazionali (CeSI);
• Novareckon (NR);
• Society Against Violent Extremism (SAVE);
• Tecoms Srl (TEC);
• European Foundation for Democracy (EFD);
• Confederazione Islamica Italiana (CII);
• Expert System Iberia (ESI);
• Infotron Europa SL (IE).

The project will deal with different kinds of radicalisation narratives, ranging from those related to political and religious extremism, to left-wing, right-wing and single-issue extremism. The aim is to undermine the appeal of the extremist propaganda, while also providing credible and positive alternatives to the related narratives. In order to reach that goal, the CICERO consortium will, at first, identify the target audiences that are considered particularly susceptible to extremist propaganda. The most prominent radicalisation narratives circulating across the EU will be therefore collected and analysed.

In order to maximize the effectiveness of the counter-narrative campaign, the consortium will also develop and implement a multi-level assessment methodology, which will allow to monitor and progressively assess the impact of the campaign itself on the target recipients. More particularly, such campaign will seek to undermine the appeal of contents that either encourage or justify violence – on political, religious, ethnic or social grounds – by means of multimedia messages and contents designed to challenge violent narratives, as well as to provide positive alternatives centered upon the promotion of democratic values and fundamental rights embedded in EU society.

CICERO project

For further information on the CICERO project: https://www.cicero-project.eu/

Zanasi & Partners

Zanasi & Partners (Z&P) is a research and advisory company in the field of security and defence based in Modena. Its expertise includes big data analytics, cyber-security/cyber-defence, social media monitoring, threat, vulnerability and risk assessment. Among its clients, Z&P counts European Commission, ESA, ENISA, FRONTEX, CIRA, Siemens, GEDI Gruppo Editoriale, Booz&Co, as well as several ministries and government agencies falling under European countries and the MENA region.

For further information on Z&P: https://www.zanasi-alessandro.eu