The role of military and security public information in addressing violent extremism was the centrepiece of an international military workshop held in Canberra this week (2-6 May 16).
A total of 24 military and security personnel from 10 countries attended the strategic communication workshop hosted by the Department of Defence, the fourth of its kind held since 2010 in support of the Defence Cooperation Program.
The strategic communication workshop provided a forum for Australian and foreign military and security officers to discuss the military’s role in the provision of public information.
Participating countries include Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Jordan, Lebanon, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.
Participants contributed to discussions on public information support to major events, countering violent extremism, and the use of social media.
Director General Military Information, Brigadier Dan Fortune, said the workshop supported Australia’s aim of working with regional countries to respond to security challenges.
“The workshop reinforced the importance of public information to the conduct of military and security operations and provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen our relationships with those in our region who undertake this role,” Brigadier Fortune said.
“This year we focused on the role of information in combating violent extremism, which is as much about individual attitudes as it is about capability.”
“We heard from experts in the field and discussed the various approaches of our regional partners and the shared challenges we all face,” he said.
The workshop also drew on Australia’s experience in hosting major international events to discuss how information campaigns and effective interagency cooperation contributed to the public’s confidence in the security of the events.
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