Egypt Uses Coffee Klatches to Fight Terrorism
The Egyptian government is trying to fight radicalism by sending clerics to preach moderate Islam at cafés, hoping to win young hearts and minds. The program was launched in 2017 following terrorist attacks that killed 44 Coptic Christians. Moderate clerics have since held more than 2,000 talks at cafés and hookah bars around the country. But with competing religious authorities and murky objectives, the program’s met some skepticism. Some expect it to be shrugged off, much like the recent “Fatwa Kiosks” program dispensing Islamic edicts with newspapers at transit stops.
