This Tuesday, the online meeting of the Spanish Network against Hate Crimes and Infradenunciation (REDOI) took place, a meeting that brought together various actors committed to the fight against this problem.
María Pina, President of REDOI, welcomed the participants and highlighted the main objectives of the network: to promote scientific-technical knowledge, disseminate good practices, offer practical content, foster collaboration and networking, and facilitate citizen mobilisation and awareness-raising. She also reviewed the trajectory of REDOI since its birth in 2022, its formal creation in 2023 and its current expansion phase (2024-25), marked by the organisation of conferences, congresses, dissemination activities and meetings.
During the meeting, testimonials from REDOI members were shared, reflecting the spirit of collaboration and the positive impact of the network. The current status of REDOI, a statewide network that works with an interdisciplinary approach to combat hate crimes and encourage reporting, was also presented. Lucía García del Moral, researcher at the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, reiterated her organisation’s commitment to REDOI and the importance of working together, joining the European funding initiative and supporting the possible integration of REDOI into a European network that is in the process of being set up. Project
Future projects
Currently, REDOI’s work is framed within the project ‘BREAKING THE SILENCE’, funded by the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030, which also includes interviews with victims, a manual for reporting, the II International Conference and a podcast of testimonies.
In addition, a new international project promoted by Columbares was also presented during the online meeting, with the aim of expanding collaboration networks at European level in the fight against hate crime. The meeting served to address the tasks that REDOI will implement in 2025, including the 2nd International Conference, the reorganisation of the network’s structure, the establishment of more efficient communication mechanisms and the expansion of the network itself.
The 6th REDOI meeting was presented, which will be held in a hybrid format on 12 June in the Assembly Hall of the Faculty of Education at the University of Murcia.
On May 9th, the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies held an online workshop for civil society organisations, within the framework of the European project DATA EQUALITY, financed by the European Union. This meeting aimed to analyse current practices, challenges and good practices in the collection, management, analysis and exchange of data related to discrimination and was led by Euro-Arab researchers Rascha Albaba Acosta, Paula Cano Cruz and José Luis Salido Medina.
The session was interactive and participatory, allowing participants to share their experiences and perspectives on the topics discussed. The workshop was attended by representatives from different European countries, including Greece, Italy, Spain and Albania, who shared their knowledge and good practices on data management related to discrimination.
This activity is part of Task 3.1 of the DATA EQUALITY project, which focuses on improving the understanding of how different actors collect, manage, analyse and share data in the context of discrimination. The project, which will run for 24 months from September 2024, aims to develop a shared European methodology to enable civil society organisations, law enforcement and judicial agencies to cooperate more effectively in the management of discrimination data.
The Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Education has participated in two workshops with the aim of enhancing the digital skills of vocational training teachers in Albania, on the one hand, and students, on the other hand. These workshops have been carried out online between 7 and 8 May and have been organised in the framework of the European project VR DIGIVET in which Euro-Arab is part of the consortium.
Both teachers and students had the opportunity to share experiences, perspectives and opinions on the use of digital technology tools in Albanian Vocational Training centres, such as Artificial Intelligence or Virtual Reality.
Gaps and opportunities of digital tools in Albanian VET
The Euro-Arab researchers Lucía García del Moral and Jusaima Moaid-azm Peregrina are the authors of the study carried out in the context of the European VR DIGIVET project, which analyses the digital skills gaps and opportunities in Albanian VET schools.
According to this report, both staff and students are lacking in the ICT and Tourism sectors, the two main sectors of study in this project as a priority for the development of the Albanian economy. The main challenges identified are limited access to technology, insufficient infrastructure and lack of professional development opportunities. These problems are most pronounced in rural areas where the digital divide is most acute.
Despite these gaps, the report reveals positive attitudes towards Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, such as the general interest shown in the adoption of these tools. They also point out that academic curricula need to be adapted to improve employability and meet industry demands.
The report’s recommendations include: support and continuous professional development for VET staff, expanding access to digital infrastructure and accessibility for all, including learners and staff with special needs, and cross-sectoral collaboration between educational institutions, government agencies and the private sector to overcome systemic challenges and drive innovation in the Albanian VET system.
On the 6th May, researchers from the Euro-Arab Foundation in Granada held a workshop with over thirty-five high school students and staff at the prestigious educational Instituto Padre Suárez in Granada, to discuss the results of the EU funded ReBel project.
The Euro-Arab researcher, Karen L. Hough, presented the results of the ReBel project, which is being conducted along with Visio and Laurea University in Finland and What Design Can Do in Amsterdam. The researchers -with the assistance of Cecilia Pérez López del Moral, an English teacher at the same institute – engaged with the students to discuss pertinent themes related to migrant belonging. The students talked about their experiences in Spanish and English and suggested ways to better improve migrant integration, including the need for quicker recognition of academic qualifications and better measures to fight discrimination.
The students will be awarded certificates for their participation and will be invited to engage in future activities, which will involve policy roundtables in Spain with local, national and international policy makers.
Recently, PARTESS-COM, a project co-funded by the European Commission with a consortium of 15 European entities, including the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, was launched. The project, led by the Austrian Institute for International Affairs, will run for two years and its main objective is to improve the security of religious communities (including places of worship and assembly) and educational institutions by compiling a knowledge platform with complex, adaptive and inclusive security concepts, based on state-of-the-art practices.
The project contributes directly to mitigating populism, extremism and terrorism by compiling good practices in preventive, protective and reactive security, and training community representatives and security forces in their practical application. In addition, it will play a role in disseminating the knowledge gained to the general public through a European campaign supported by multiple smaller campaigns on social media, adopting an approach that engages the whole of society.
The role of the Euro-Arab Foundation
Religious communities and their places of worship specifically enjoy an even higher strategic priority given their centrality in many socio-political conflicts, which justifies the creation of the EU strategy to combat anti-Semitism and promote Jewish life in 2021, and the position of ‘Coordinator for Combating Anti-Muslim Hatred’ in 2015. The project also responds to the Commission’s recent call for action ‘No place for hate: a Europe united against hate’, helping to defend European values and social peace through interfaith cooperation.
The Euro-Arab will lead work package 2 of the project, which consists of identifying, systematising and assessing effective security concepts, tools, programmes and solutions for the protection of places of worship, religious educational institutions and communities. The aim is to provide stakeholders with effective access to knowledge and sources, empower them and actively involve them.
The Euro-Arab Foundation previously participated in the PARTES project, the prelude to the present PARTESS-COM project, and will therefore transfer the experience and knowledge acquired during its development. This previous participation will allow it to bring an informed and strategic vision to the new project, facilitating the identification of good practices and overcoming possible challenges. His experience in the field of child protection and child protection in the EU will be a valuable asset for the project.
On 28 April, the third Network Panel Thematic Debate, organised by the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies (FUNDEA) and Innovative Prison Systems (IPS), examined the intersections between migration and security, and the risks of unlawful profiling of refugees and asylum seekers in Europe. This online debate brought together key actors and organisations, including law enforcement, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as experts, to discuss how to prevent radicalisation in a way that does not unduly undermine fundamental rights, including the right to non-discrimination and the right to asylum, in line with the objectives of the IN2PREV project.
To this end, the event benefited from contributions from the International Centre for Counterterrorism, as well as from the Euro-Arab Foundation whose researcher, Lucía Alonso Pérez, provided guidance to help prevent profiling based on discriminatory criteria when conducting risk assessments of violent extremism. The conference concluded with a presentation by the Guardia Civil, which presented the protocols and practices currently applied in Spain to prevent unlawful profiling, followed by an exchange of experiences and reflections with participants from NGOs and law enforcement agencies from across Europe.
About IN2PREV
The European IN2PREV project is a European initiative that started in September 2022 and in which the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies participates as a member, together with partners from Poland, Portugal, Romania, Republic of Moldova, Slovakia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The aim of the project is to facilitate the integration of refugees and asylum seekers and prevent their radicalisation through early identification of vulnerability risk factors. The successful inclusion of refugees as a way to prevent radicalisation is an issue that, despite its acknowledged importance and growing concern, has not received adequate attention and action, and is often addressed through highly securitarian approaches.
Last March, the project brought a seminar to Bratislava to improve the skills of law enforcement and non-governmental organisations working on the frontline with refugees and asylum seekers in preventing radicalisation. Euro-Arab researcher Lucía Alonso Pérez gave a presentation that explored in depth the practices of preventing violent extremism in order to ensure their compliance with fundamental rights and ethical principles. In her intervention, she addressed issues such as respect for human dignity, the right to non-discrimination and privacy, and the importance of guaranteeing access to international protection. In addition, he stressed the need to implement action protocols that prioritise the protection of the rights of refugees, especially those in vulnerable situations.
On April 30, the seminar ‘Spirituality, youth and gender in the 21st century’ was held at the Euro-Arab Foundation. Its main objective was to provide a space for women and young believers of different faiths to share their experience of how they live their spirituality today. The seminar was moderated by Soukaina Belkat and José Luis Salido Medina, researchers at the Euro-Arab Foundation, and was attended by members of Muslim, Catholic, Protestant and Buddhist faiths.
The activity, organised by the Euro-Arab Foundation in the framework of the European project PARTES, addressed a series of guiding questions on gender and current social dynamics. It was divided into two parts, one dedicated to the role of women in the different religions represented and the other to the experience of young people with their faith.
The role of women in religion
The round table ‘The role of women in religion’ was given by Lola Parras Chica, Tibetan Buddhist and former director of the Nagarjuna Buddhist Centre in Granada; Khatarina Zimmerhofer, Catholic and student of Theology; Zoraida Ali Morell, Muslim, philosopher and psychologist; and Eva Domínguez Sosa, pastor of the Protestant church of San Pablo in Granada, Spain, and Eva Domínguez Sosa, pastor of the Protestant church of San Pablo in Granada.
Lola addressed the situation of women in Buddhism, pointing out the persistence of patriarchal patterns in religions. These patterns are manifested in the allocation of gender roles, such as motherhood, the development of which is influenced by the socio-cultural context. Therefore, Lola argued that not all religious precepts should be accepted uncritically. She emphasised the importance of not naturalising maternal roles that deprive women of time for activities such as meditation. She advocated a stance of zero tolerance towards patriarchy, but devoid of hatred. Finally, she stressed that self-knowledge and deep understanding lead to enlightenment in three fundamental areas: ethics, conduct, concentration-meditation and wisdom.
Khatarina emphasised that baptism confers fundamental and equal dignity from birth. She then elaborated on the Ignatian principle of ‘seeing Christ in one’s neighbour’, explaining how this perspective invites us to recognise the inherent worth of each individual, transcending social or gender distinctions. In her analysis of women in the Bible, she highlighted the central figure of the Virgin Mary, whose role is crucial in the Christian narrative. In addition, she referred to the ‘three Teresas’: St. Teresa of Avila, a leading figure of mysticism and reformer of Carmel; the Venerable Servant of God Teresa de Jesús Jornet e Ibars, founder of the Little Sisters of the Disabled Elderly; and St. Teresa of Avila, founder of the Little Sisters of the Disabled; and St. Teresa of Avila, founder of the Little Sisters of the Disabled, founder of the Little Sisters of the Disabled.
Eva addressed critical feminisms and the perspective of intersectionality, pointing out that we live in a social reality deeply marked by patriarchy and with a significant Judeo-Christian heritage. In relation to the role of religion in the configuration of gender roles, she mentioned how historically some religions instructed women in the essential aspects of carrying out their purification rites, as in the case of Muslim practices. In contrast, she highlighted a significant moment in the Christian tradition where Jesus Christ gave a crucial role to Mary Magdalene by making her the first witness of his resurrection, sending her to announce this good news to the other disciples. This act challenged the social norms of the time and elevated one woman’s witness to a foundational position within Christianity.
Youth and religion. Experiences from today
The second round table “Youth and religion. Experiences from the present day” featured presentations by Isairis Valerio Domínguez, a Catholic and theology student, and Brahim Iguizol, a Muslim, sociologist specialising in anthropology and trends in Islamic thought.
Isairis began his intervention at the table on spirituality and young people by emphasising the importance of coherence between personal values and authenticity. She proposed that the daily examination of spiritual conscience, together with the experiences, should be cultivated in a space of recollection.
She underlined that a pluralistic society offers the valuable benefit of reasoned questioning. In this sense, she advocated ‘resuscitating’ those elements that favour individual spiritual freedom. Isairis contrasted polarisation with the need for deep internal dialogue, pointing out the importance of not giving in to hatred and the discourses that promote it, but embracing a freedom that opens us to connection with others. Finally, she stated that intolerance is rooted in fear, but that society must adopt a critical and reflective stance in order to overcome it.
Brahim suggested that returning to a space of recollection could generate a multiplicity of interpretations, thus encouraging a secular modernisation of spiritual understanding. He proposed the need for a contemporary spirituality that transcends traditional religious institutions, allowing individuals to experience the sacred directly and personally. He also highlighted how Islam can be a tool to combat arrogant selfishness, exploitation and abuse of power, promoting active participation in building a more just society. In his conclusion, Brahim emphasised the imperative need for dialogue, based on the humility to learn from others, in order to work together to solve global challenges. This dialogue requires a framework of equality, devoid of power relations and intolerance.He lamented the inadequacy of current trans-religious dialogue, calling for more interfaith learning and cooperation as a way to mitigate growing social polarisation.
PARTES will end next June
In response to the rising tide of attacks and hate crimes targeting places of worship in Europe and globally since 2023, the PARTES project has emerged as a crucial initiative. Mosques, synagogues and churches have become vulnerable targets, a situation that has been exacerbated by the rise of online hate crimes and cyber-attacks, sometimes intertwined with physical campaigns. These acts of violence are a reflection of a deeper extremist problem, fuelled by toxic discourses, a lack of intercultural and inter-religious understanding, and insufficient societal engagement in preventing extremism.
The seminar “Spirituality, youth and gender in the 21st century” represented the culmination of the project’s activities, preceding the closing event to be held in Vienna on 16 June.
A key achievement of PARTES has been the development of the “PARTES Guardian Approach”, a comprehensive prevention model designed to strengthen the security of places of worship across Europe and thus mitigate hate crimes affecting religious communities. The project has focused on key pillars such as the strengthening of cooperation between public authorities and religious communities, the implementation of awareness-raising campaigns, the organisation of specialised trainings and seminars, and the thorough evaluation and exchange of best practices and tools available in this field. A tangible result of this effort is the “Action Sheets” developed by the PARTES consortium, a valuable compilation of effective practices implemented in the European Union to optimise the protection of places of worship.
This seminar, in which Isabel Pérez Pérez, head of Communication for International Projects at the Euro-Arab Foundation, took part, brought together some 300 people, including students, teachers and professionals from the world of communication, to reflect on the role of journalism in the face of today’s global challenges.
In her speech, Isabel Pérez, an expert on the Palestine/Israel conflict, warned that ‘when you are outside the truth, you are in danger’, and described the pressures and limitations suffered by journalists in areas of serious conflict. His intervention took place in the dialogue ‘Protection of journalists at risk’ which, moderated by Lluís Caelles, head of the International section of TV3, also included interventions by Alfonso Bauluz, president of Reporters Without Borders Spain, and Mónica Cerbón, a Mexican journalist specialising in politics, human rights and the environment.
The event, presented by Anna Fajula Payet, Vice-Dean of the Faculty, Andrea Costafreda, Director General of Cooperation of the Generalitat de Catalunya, and Esther Zapater, Secretary General of the UAB, highlighted the need for critical education and the importance of building new narratives in the face of the invisibilisation of feminist and global justice agendas.
Various dialogues took place throughout the day, such as the one entitled ‘Journalism of peace and struggle’, moderated by Mònica Figueras, lecturer in the Department of Communication at the UPF, which brought together Xavier Giró, journalist and expert in conflict coverage, and journalist Patricia Simón, reporter and researcher specialising in human rights.
This was followed by ‘Narratives for a decolonial and feminist communication’, with the participation of Florencia González Brizuela, researcher in interculturality and feminisms, and Santiago Giraldo, expert in communication on conflicts in Latin America, under the moderation of Montse Santolino, journalist and communicator of Lafede.cat.
There was also a debate on ‘Hate speeches, disinformation and power’ with interventions by Nereida Carrillo, expert in disinformation, David Bou, journalist at La Directa and Carles Pont, specialist in risk and crisis communication, moderated by Sonia Herrera, expert in feminist studies.
More information on this conference at:
https://www.uab.cat/web/sala-de-prensa/detalle-noticia/reflexion-y-transformacion-desde-el-relato-para-la-comunicacion-en-un-mundo-en-conflicto-1345830290069.html?detid=1345952450909
This week, the New Ground Research Foundation convened at the headquarters of the Euro-Arab Foundation a high-level reflection and debate on an urgent global challenge: the coordinated fight against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.
During two intense days, a group of prominent experts from different nationalities and creeds met in Granada to analyze the convergences and divergences of these forms of racism, their political instrumentalization, explore innovative solutions and define strategies to fight them jointly and effectively.
The meeting held this week in Granada, culminated with a public session where the conclusions of the two days of debate held behind closed doors were presented, in which the need to build just societies free of hatred was highlighted.
This initiative of the New Ground Research Foundation is part of the agreement signed between the Executive Secretary of the Euro-Arab Foundation, Antonio Sanchez Ortega, and the President of the foundation, Khalid F. Al Khater, an agreement aimed at promoting and developing joint academic and research activities of international relevance.
The importance of this meeting is underlined in a context marked by increasing polarization, especially after the events of October 7, 2023. A scenario in which islamophobia and anti-Semitism have emerged as two of the most worrying and interconnected forms of racism, with significant repercussions in both the cultural and political spheres.
Debate with the public: a call for unity
The meeting culminated with a day open to the public, held at the Euro-Arab headquarters. Participants included Khalid F. Al Khater (president and founder of New Ground Research), Professor John L. Espósito (Georgetown University), Professor José Miguel Puerta Vílchez (University of Granada), Professor Dalia Fahmy (Long Island University) and Professor Dov Waxman (UCLA). The round table was moderated by Barbara Boloix, Deputy Secretary of the Euro-Arab Foundation.
During this public session, the results of the debate and analysis developed by experts during the previous days were presented. The repercussions of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in both the cultural and political spheres were highlighted, as well as the use of conspiracy theories to mobilize audiences predisposed to social fracture. As the main avenue of solution, the participants proposed the reengagement of the Jewish and Muslim communities, and the alignment of strategies to build a future and just societies, free of stereotypes, racism and hate speech.
From March 25 to 27, a training seminar took place in Bratislava, Slovakia, framed within the European project IN2PREV, of which the Euro-Arab Foundation is a part. This initiative supports the improvement of the skills of security forces and non-governmental organizations working on the frontlines with refugees and asylum seekers, in the prevention of radicalization. The Euro-Arab Foundation researcher, Lucía Alonso Pérez, participated with a presentation that delved into the practices of preventing violent extremism to ensure their compliance with fundamental rights and ethical principles. In her speech, she addressed issues such as respect for human dignity, the right to non-discrimination and privacy, and the importance of ensuring access to international protection. Furthermore, she highlighted the need to implement action protocols that prioritize the protection of the rights of refugees, especially those in vulnerable situations.
Lucía Alonso Pérez, Euro-Arab Foundation’s researcher, during her intervention in the training
The event served to exchange experiences and improve the capacity to prevent and identify the factors of vulnerability to radicalization in refugees and asylum seekers, to transform these vulnerabilities into protection factors.
About IN2PREV
The European project IN2PREV, with the participation of the Euro-Arab Foundation and partners from various countries, seeks to prevent the radicalization of refugees and asylum seekers by facilitating their integration and early detection of risk factors. Faced with the growing refugee crisis in Europe, aggravated by conflicts and the pandemic, the project focuses on improving cooperation between security forces and NGOs, developing tools to assess vulnerability, implementing mentoring programs, and training frontline professionals.
