The Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies has collaborated in the organisation of a key training session for the University Master’s Degree in Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism at the Civil Guard University Centre. Titled “Interreligious Dialogue Panel: Coexistence, Security, and Cooperation,” the session was dedicated to delving into interreligious dialogue and the challenges of democratic coexistence in a context of growing diversity in Spain.
The session, driven by theIslamic Commission of Spain (CIE) with the collaboration of the Euro-Arab Foundation, was held in person at the headquarters of the Civil Guard Orphans Association (APHGC) and is positioned as a strategic high-level space for the exchange of ideas among actors with public decision-making capacity.
A Strategic Forum for Security and Coexistence
The meeting was aimed at the Master’s students, a multidisciplinary profile that includes high-ranking Civil Guard officials, as well as professionals from the judiciary, ministries, security agencies, and penitentiary institutions. The participation of the Euro-Arab Foundation in this forum underscores its experience and institutional relevance in training management personnel on sensitive issues such as diversity management, the fight against extremism, and the promotion of social peace.
The roundtable panel featured the presence of prominent religious denominations in Spain, such as the Spanish Episcopal Conference, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, and the Islamic Commission of Spain (CIE).
Reflections on Social Cohesion and Diversity
The Islamic Commission of Spain (CIE) was represented by Hicham Oulad Mhammed, a CIE member and expert in interreligious dialogue. During his intervention, he highlighted the need to address the growing social polarisation and the negative impact of hoaxes and narratives that seek the “foreignisation” (“extranjerización”) of Muslim communities in Spain, denying their deep historical roots.
Other key points of his presentation included:
The promotion of the positive visibility of Muslims and the importance of Islamic thought being expressed in the Spanish language, while acknowledging the new challenges this generates in the face of intolerance.
The recognition of the Spanish legal framework on religious freedom (Law 26/1992) as one of the most advanced, along with the need to improve its practical implementation at the local level.
Hicham Oulad Mhammed stressed that “social cohesion is not built by denying difference, but by integrating it within a framework of mutual respect and real equality,” appealing to the active role of institutions in defending constitutional values.
The Euro-Arab Foundation’s collaboration in the organisation of this event reaffirms its institutional commitment to inter-sectoral cooperation and civic education. By facilitating these high-impact meetings, it directly contributes to the strengthening of interreligious dialogue as an essential tool for democratic coexistence and the prevention of discourses that erode social peace among the State Security Forces and Corps and other key public institutions.
On June 16, the PARTES project culminated in its final conference in Vienna, gathering researchers, faith-community representatives, and security experts. Over its two-year duration, the project focused on protecting places of worship. It was made possible by financial support from the European Commission’s Internal Security Fund (ISF) and saw fifteen partners from ten European countries collaborate on this vital initiative.
The European Commission’s DG Home’s representative underscored the crucial role of Union Actions projects, like PARTES, in tackling transnational issues affecting the entire EU. At its core, PARTES aimed to bolster the protection of places of worship by fostering a deeper understanding of violent extremism and its potential impact. Its six key objectives included mapping threats, assessing vulnerabilities, and facilitating the exchange of best practices among diverse religious communities.
A critical aspect addressed was online threats, with a presentation by SCENOR detailing how extremist organizations exploit digital platforms to spread right-wing hate. This analysis revealed a significant shift in strategy: unlike in the past, these groups now actively conceal their true ideologies and objectives by masking their hate. This tactic allows them to evade moderation and reach a broader audience.
The project also introduced the “PARTES Guardian approach,” which prioritizes engaging faith communities and incorporating their concerns to ensure protective measures are culturally and spiritually appropriate. To further support these efforts, PARTES developed 23 “action sheets” – practical, step-by-step best practices gathered from 10 partners, covering areas like interfaith dialogues and mental health crisis guidelines. The conference concluded with acknowledgements to the dedicated team members, technicians, and security personnel who contributed to its success.
Euro-Arab Foundation Article Highlights Rising Vulnerability to Hate Crimes
During the final event of PARTES, the Euro-Arab Foundation, José Luis Salido Medina, exposed the results of his research on Extremism and Places of Worship: Analysis of Strategies and Ideological Motivations,conducted as part of the project. The article examines the increasing vulnerability of religious communities to hate crimes driven by extremist narratives. It presents findings from an analysis of 25 case studies of hate crimes and violent attacks across 13 European countries. The research delves into the ideological and strategic characteristics of extremist groups involved, considering factors such as the perpetrator’s ideology, the nature of the attack, online/offline dimensions, and the presence of manifestos.
The final event of the PARTES project marked a significant milestone, signalling its transformation into PARTESS-COM. This evolution is a testament to the substantial work accomplished and the robust networks established during the project’s tenure.
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.
The European project PARTES, in which the Euro-Arab Foundation participates, has launched a new video to raise awareness of one of its main objectives: preserving places of worship as timeless symbols of faith, history and cultural heritage.
The PARTES consortium notes that in order to effectively counter security threats to synagogues, mosques or churches, it is essential to understand the underlying violent extremist phenomenon and its specific manifestations in relation to these targets. There is also a need to engage religious communities in policy and action and to educate the general public about toxic extremist rhetoric, but also about the specific characteristics and manifestations of the various faiths. To raise awareness on this issue, PARTES is publishing a series of videos that can be viewed on this Youtube channel.
About PARTES
The PARTES project started in 2023 and was born in a context of increasing attacks and hate crimes against places of worship in Europe and around the world. Mosques and synagogues are particularly affected, although Christian places of worship have also been targeted. The threat landscape has become even more complex with the growing number of online hate crimes and cyber-attacks, sometimes combined with offline campaigns.
These attacks are only a symptom of a wider violent extremist phenomenon that is on the rise in Europe, fuelled by toxic extremist rhetoric, ignorance of other religions and cultures, and insufficient involvement of society at large in preventing extremism. While the authorities provide some protection and security support, existing measures need to be strengthened and improved. The phenomenon needs to be addressed in a more complex way that goes beyond architectural security and police presence.
On 19 and 20 November, the training and capacity building sessions of the European project PARTES for the protection of places of worship took place at the headquarters of the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies. Organised in collaboration with the Local Police of Murcia, these conferences allowed to share experiences and good practices, as well as to identify new opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the different institutions involved in the implementation of the project and the key actors in the protection of places of worship, such as religious communities, police forces, public authorities and civil society organisations. Participants and speakers included members of religious communities from Granada and Murcia, State Security Forces such as the Guardia Civil and Mossos d’Esquadra, as well as other key entities such as the Pluralism and Coexistence Foundation (Fundación Pluralismo y Convivencia).
Some of the most relevant results of the PARTES project are the so-called ‘PARTES Guardian Approach’, a holistic model designed in a participatory and inclusive way, which considers all relevant dimensions for the protection of places of worship and the ‘Action Sheets’, a compilation of good practices drawn from the ten countries that make up the project consortium.
PARTES is a project funded by the Internal Security Fund of the European Commission which aims to develop a comprehensive prevention model for the protection of places of worship in the European Union through an empirical, inclusive and participatory methodology in order to prevent hate crimes against religious communities. As part of its priorities, the project has developed awareness-raising campaigns, evaluated and exchanged good practices across the consortium member countries, and developed workshops, training and seminars to improve cooperation between public authorities and religious communities, among other issues related to the protection of places of worship.
Since March 2023, the PARTES project («Participatory approaches to protecting places of worship» – more information here), funded by the EU, has been investigating attacks on religious communities and respective places of worship. Their findings show that minority faiths are more likely to be targeted than mainstream religions. However, the question of the social motivations of this phenomenon remains to be answered.
Read the complete article by our researcher José Luis Salido here.
The entities associated in PARTES, the European project that seeks to protect places of worship, met on April 22nd and 23rd in Brussels in order to share the lessons learned and achievements reached so far. The Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies is part of it and its researcher, José Luis Salido Medina, coordinated the PARTES Conference held in Melilla in March, which brought together representatives of different religious confessions.
Our reasearcher attended both, the workshop on April 22, and the Steering Committee on the 23rd. The workshop discussed the current challenges and issues that places of worship are facing. It also addressed the importance of bridging the communication gaps that may exist between the various religious communities and between them and the authorities. On its part, the fourth meeting of the PARTES Steering Committee was held to evaluate the work of the project over the past four months, identify key issues for discussion and develop a collaborative plan for the coming months.
Currently, the PARTES consortium is compiling local communication and security strategies to protect places of worship in ten European Union countries.
Synagogues, churches and mosques are of vital importance for social coexistence and cohesion in the European Union; however, they have been, and can become, targets of potential terrorist attacks as witnessed in the last decade. This has been one of the main reasons for launching the SHIELD project, funded by the European Commission’s Internal Security Fund (ISF) programme. The entities involved in SHIELD, including the Granada-based Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, are clear about the need to create a “cultural shield” that defends both individuals and religious communities, since, when talking about the physical security of infrastructures, aspects such as the environment, culture, social inclusion and inter-religious dialogue are underlined.
The project consortium was composed of eighteen partners from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Romania, research centres, intercultural institutes, local and security authorities and even religious associations with the common goal of identifying and proposing concrete solutions to burning issues of common interest, such as assessing the risk and vulnerability of places of worship to potential terrorist attacks.
Tackling extremism and protecting religious freedom
The establishment of projects such as SHIELD promote mutual understanding and increase respect, they also facilitate the meeting and sharing of knowledge, creating synergies. In this case, SHIELD has facilitated the development of a common strategy for reducing threats and increasing religious freedom. During the two years of the project, SHIELD has hosted several dialogue meetings aimed at countering religious extremism, with the co-participation of state security forces, the society and security and security technology companies.
The final event, held in Brussels, was attended by Tamara Muñoz, Programme Officer of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, as well as representatives from ten European countries and the three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). In addition, copies of the guide produced by SHIELD entities (downloadable here) with guidelines on how to increase security and protect places of worship from violence and the threat of terrorism could be collected.
The guide has been translated into nine languages, including English and Arabic, and is aimed at religious community leaders, security officials, local policy makers and law enforcement officials. It gathers data on violent aggressions in Europe that show that the Muslim community has been the most attacked between 2000 and 2020, suffering 48% of the total aggressions compared to 29% of the Christian community and 24% of the Jewish community. This document aims, on the one hand, to raise awareness on the prevention of radicalisation and the issue of security and, on the other hand, to provide practical and operational guidance on risk assessment tools, technical security measures or mitigation approaches after an attack with the provision of victim support services.
The research continues
Although SHIELD has come to an end, another European project, PARTES, will continue to work until April 2025 with the same objective. In this case, the Euro-Arab Foundation in Spain is leading the work package “Threats and Responses Landscape”, a research to establish an overview of attacks on religious communities, the hate crimes they suffer and existing protection measures, as well as the identification of good practices of cooperation between religious institutions and public authorities.
PARTES’ priorities are to improve cooperation between public authorities and religious communities, to conduct awareness-raising campaigns, trainings and seminars, as well as to take stock, evaluate and exchange best practices and tools in this field.
Participatory approaches to the protection of places of worship is the title given to the forum hosted by the Government Delegation in Melilla on Thursday, organised by the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies in the framework of the PARTES project funded by the European Commission. The Government Delegate, Sabrina Moh, opened the event by thanking Melilla for having been chosen as the venue for this forum and pointing out the importance of working for the prevention of hate crimes, inter-religious dialogue, tolerance and respect.
“We are witnessing the emergence of messages of polarisation and tension, and I think it is vital to work to prevent hate crimes, which is something that we must do together institutions and entities while focusing on this issue so that society is aware of this problem and tools are put in place to put an end to it”, Moh indicated.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of the Euro-Arab Foundation, Antonio Sánchez Ortega, recalled that the aim of the organisation he represents is to create bridges of collaboration, knowledge and research. He therefore recognised that Melilla is a “privileged” place, as it is an “estuary of civilisations and cultures which perfectly demonstrates this coexistence and this model of participation”. Sánchez stressed that the results of these conference “will feed into the PARTES project and it will serve as a model for transfer to civil society”.
The working session was also attended by the representative of the European Commission’s funding programme, Tamara Muñoz, representatives of the State Security Forces and Corps, and members of the city’s religious communities, among other civil society organisations.
The PARTES project
The European PARTES project started on 31 March 2023 and is scheduled to end in April 2025. It proposes to develop, through an empirical, inclusive and participatory methodology, a comprehensive prevention model for the protection of places of worship (synagogues, mosques, and churches) in the European Union, thus also preventing hate crimes against religious communities.
The Euro-Arab Foundation leads the “Threats and Responses Overview” Work Package which coordinates the research to establish an overview of attacks on religious communities, hate crimes against them, and existing protection measures. It identifies also good practices for cooperation between religious institutions and public authorities, for the protection of places of worship. The Euro-Arab was also in charge of organising the participatory workshop in Melilla, held on Wednesday at the UGR, and the inter-religious forum on Thursday at the headquarters of the Government Delegation in Melilla.
Euro-Arab Foundation’s researcher and organiser of the PARTES conference in Melilla, José Luis Salido, giving the participatory workshop, held at the UGR.Opening of the participatory workshop, held at the UGR, by César Solano, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences (UGR), Tamara Muñoz, Programme Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, and José Luis Salido, researcher at the Euro-Arab Foundation and organiser of the conference.Meeting of the Euro-Arab researchers, José Luis Salido and Daniel Pérez, with Fadela Mohatar, Councillor for Culture, Cultural Heritage and the Elderly of Melilla and Marta Marzol, advisor for Culture of the Council, in the framework of the PARTES project conference.Opening of the forum ‘Participatory approaches to the protection of places of worship’ at the Government Delegation of Melilla, with the Government Delegate, Sabrina Moh, and the Executive Secretary of the Euro-Arab Foundation, Antonio Sánchez Ortega.
PARTES project (Participatory approaches to protecting places of worship) proposes a comprehensive model for the protection of places of worship (PoW) that is evidence-based, inclusive and participatory, in order to effectively combat the security threats posed to synagogues, mosques and churches in the European Union, thus also preventing hate crimes against religious communities.
The Euro-Arab Foundation is part of the consortium and leads the “Threats and Responses Landscape” work package, which coordinates research to establish an overview of attacks on religious communities, hate crimes against them and existing protection measures, as well as to identify good practices for cooperation between religious institutions and public authorities, and for the protection of places of worship.
PARTES aims to achieve the following objectives:
Map the specific threat landscape of involved religious communities (incl. cyber threats);
Assess and derive lessons learned on vulnerabilities and existing security concepts of involved religious communities and exchange best practices on protective measures Europe-wide;
Establish cooperation and communication structures and channels between religious communities and local authorities;
Develop proactive and preventive security measures;
Carry out trainings and workshops with religious and local authorities;
Raise awareness among the wider population about the threat and strategies of extremist organisations targeting places of worship and involve them in prevention strategies.
The methodology employed in the project is multi-disciplinary and participatory in nature, involving researchers and end-users within and beyond the consortium, and also citizens. PARTES employs a variety of methods, from desk research and interviews to live labs, workshops and dialogue forums.
The project seeks to make a significant contribution to the improvement of the overall protection of public spaces through the creation and enhancement of PoW’s preventive and security concepts by taking the threat landscape, the online dimension and pre-attack, preventive phases and measures into account, as well as by the newly established communication structures with authorities.
The motivation for this project lies in the recent trend of attacks and hate crimes, both in the digital and physical world, targeting places of worship in Europe and around the world. These attacks are symptomatic of a growing violent extremist phenomenon in Europe, fuelled by extremist rhetoric, ignorance of other religions and cultures, and insufficient societal engagement in preventing extremism.The project considers that this phenomenon needs to be addressed in a more complex way, going beyond architectural security and police presence.
PARTES is funded by the Internal Security Fund of the European Commission. The consortium involves experts of 15 institutions from 10 European countries, where the project coordinator is the Austrian Institute of International Affairs (oiip).
