The protection of public places has been a clear priority of the European Union, also implied by its omnipresence in EU policies such as the 2017 Action Plan for the Protection of Public Spaces. The project aligns with the objectives contained therein by not only fostering the exchange of best practices among a variety of stakeholders, but also by establishing an expert network on a European level through a shared platform where guidance material can easily be shared. Religious communities and their Places of Worship (PoW) specifically enjoy an even higher strategic priority given their centrality in many socio-political conflicts, warranting the creation of the EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life in 2021, and the position of the ‘Coordinator on combating anti-Muslim hatred’ in 2015. The project also answers the Commission‘s recent call for action “No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred” by contributing to upholding European values and societal peace through interreligious cooperation. It also raises awareness of the vulnerabilities and solutions among authorities, communities, and practitioners.

The project directly contributes to stop populism, extremism and terrorism, by compiling preventive, protective and reactive security best practices and training community representatives as well as law enforcement agencies on their practical implementation. It further relates to these actions by also disseminating this knowledge among the broader public via a Europe-wide campaign, supported by multiple smaller social media campaigns, marking a truly whole-of-society approach. These activities building awareness and training stakeholders on how to conduct frequent security evaluation also address the EU’s quick guide to support the protection of places of worship from 2021.

Objectives:

The project’s main objective is to enhance the security of religious communities (incl. PoW and other gatherings) and educational institutions through compiling a knowledge platform with complex, adaptable and inclusive security concepts that build on state-of-the-art practices.

This objective will be achieved by vigorous research and stakeholder engagement, and facilitated through an inclusive and versatile digital solution in the form of

1. a) a platform that collects state-of-the art practices in a user friendly, context and policy informed classification, and facilitates exchange and networking between stakeholders;
2. b) an app that allows the reporting of incidents through citizens; secondly through networking around central themes at the European level;
3. c) through an intense and targeted capacity building campaign at the European level, including simulations and tool demonstrations, online and offline; and fourthly a security awareness campaign for the broader public on an EU-wide to encourage everyday citizens to report security-relevant incidents in/around places of worship and religious educational institutions on the project’s app.

In terms of impact, PARTESS-COM aims to ensure a broad reach within European religious communities, LEAs and the public and furthermore empower them to effectively prevent and counter the threat posed to PoW, schools and community gatherings.