An initiative of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Not in Our Name is the first documentary project ever produced on counter-extremism in Central Asia. With the goal of empowering communities to stand up to violent extremist recruiters who claim to represent them, the RFE/RL team traveled to diverse regions and explored how residents can work together from the local to the national level to prevent the spread of violence. Not in Our Name features video portraits of those who lost family members in Syria and Irak and follows discussions among youth from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan as young people in these countries reflect on experiences from a nearby conflict in town hall meetings.

The challenge Central Asian communities face from extremist groups is real. According to recent estimates, countries of the former Soviet Union were the single largest source of foreign fighters in the Syria/Iraq conflict -- more than neighboring states in the Middle East. With over 4,200 Central Asians joining the conflict, communities across the region have been and will continue to be exposed to the horrors of war and extremist ideological tendencies. The documentary follows Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Tajik, and Uzbek youth as they come to a deeper understanding of the challenges they face and consider what their options for collective action so that their communities can take a stand and declare "Not in Our Name."

This event is part of the Special Events Series of the 2018 Annual Conference of the Central Eurasian Studies Society. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with contributors. Conference registration is NOT required.

Moderator: Muhammad Tahir, Media Relations Manager, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty