SAWAB CENTER
While it is true that Daesh’s supporters continue to disseminate a large number of messages to lure recruits and incite violence and hatred, Daesh is not winning on the information battlefield. In fact, all around the globe, voices of moderation are uniting to contest Daesh’s digital propaganda. Activists and clerics are speaking up to discredit Daesh’s claims of religious legitimacy and state-building competence; social media companies are disrupting the group’s exploitation of various communication platforms and Web browsing tools; and governments and community leaders are developing initiatives that offer compelling alternative paths for youth.
The Sawab Center, a joint United States-United Arab Emirates online communications center, represents an important initiative to counter Daesh’s poisonous messages with hopeful narratives from the region. The word sawab in Arabic signifies “doing the right thing” or being on the “right path.” Sawab seeks to do just that by giving voice to the millions of Muslims and others around the world who stand united against terrorism and the falsehoods propagated by Daesh.
Since its launch in July 2015, Sawab has actively contested Daesh propaganda by exposing this terrorist group’s criminal nature, challenging its doctrine of hatred and intolerance, highlighting successes of the Global Coalition to Counter Daesh, amplifying regional voices of moderation, and offering an alternative, positive vision that underscores the true values and diversity of Islam.
Operating on multiple social media platforms, Sawab uses a broad range of content, including original graphics and animations, videos, coverage of current events, coalition updates, research, and religious arguments. To discredit Daesh’s claims of religious legitimacy, Sawab regularly demonstrates how Daesh’s actions contradict key tenets of Islam. Sawab has also conducted numerous strategic messaging campaigns. The center’s first weeklong Twitter campaign amplified stories of former fighters who became disillusioned after seeing that Daesh members violated tenets of Islam and instead of protecting fellow Muslims were engaged in killing them. A subsequent campaign exposed the tactics and narratives used by Daesh to lure in and attract vulnerable youth.
Significant elements of Daesh communication and recruitment efforts are also devoted to enticing women, who represent an integral component of Daesh’s state-building vision, to travel to the territories controlled by the group through false promises of empowerment. To challenge this deception, Sawab conducted a campaign designed to expose Daesh’s actual treatment of women, including those who migrate to join the group, local women and minorities. A follow-up campaign launched on the occasion of the International Women’s Day offered an inspirational positive alternative by featuring profiles of contemporary trailblazing women as well as pioneering female personalities in Islamic and Middle Eastern history.
In response to a dramatic increase in Daesh propaganda promoting the myth of a functioning utopian society, Sawab debunked these claims by shedding light on Daesh’s failure to provide basic public services and its exploitation of local populations. This past February, Sawab also launched a campaign to highlight the humanitarian crisis stemming from Daesh’s brutal aggression, amplified the efforts of Coalition partners as well as numerous international and nongovernmental organizations providing humanitarian assistance in Iraq and Syria, and encouraged the public to take action by supporting these initiatives.
To counter Daesh’s attempts to erase national identities, the center encourages the youth to take pride in their countries’ achievements by emphasizing the rich cultural heritage, distinguished personalities and the historic accomplishments of their nations.
Though established less than a year ago, the center has already made a remarkable impact: Its follower base on Twitter has surpassed the 81,000 mark and now includes individuals from 97 countries, while its campaigns have generated more than 740 million impressions. Furthermore, its followers on Facebook have exceeded 160,000 and include individuals from 45 countries. Looking ahead, the center plans to continue expanding its geographic reach by building a dynamic network of regional partner organizations and influential credible voices. Join the conversation by following Sawab on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and participate in the global efforts to thwart the extremists.