PARTES

Participatory approaches to protecting places of worship

PARTES proposes a comprehensive prevention model for the protection of places of worship that is evidence-based, inclusive and participatory. In order to effectively combat security threats posed to synagogues, mosques or churches, it is essential to understand the underlying violent extremist phenomenon and its concrete manifestations in relation to these targets. It also needs to involve religious communities in policies and measures and educate the broader population on toxic extremist rhetoric, but also specific features and manifestations of various faiths.

Context

The trend in recent years of attacks and hate crimes targeting places of worship in Europe and world-wide is concerning. Mosques and synagogues are particularly affected, yet Christian places of worship have also been targeted. The threat landscape has become even more complex with the increasing number of online hate crimes and cyber-attacks, sometimes combined with offline campaigns. These attacks are only the symptom of a broader violent extremist phenomenon on the rise in Europe, fuelled by toxic extremist rhetoric, lack of knowledge about other religions and cultures, and insufficient involvement of mainstream society in extremism prevention. Although authorities provide some protection and security support, existing measures must be strengthened and improved. The phenomenon must be addressed in a more complex way that goes beyond architectural security and police presence.

Objectives

PARTES aims to achieve the following objectives:

  • Map the specific threat landscape of involved religious communities (including 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
Impact

The project will make a significant contribution to the improvement of the overall protection of public spaces through the creation and enhancement of places of worship’s preventive and security concepts. This will be achieved by taking the threat landscape, the online dimension and pre-attack or preventive phases and measures into account, as well as by newly established communication structures with authorities.

PARTES shall

  • improve cooperation between all relevant stakeholders – through the creation of cooperation and communication structures and channels between religious communities and local authorities,
  • develop trainings and guidance materials through state-of-the-art training methods involving online and offline approaches, and organise awareness raising campaigns,
  • help to better assess security threats through state-of-the-art analysis and data-driven threat landscape analysis, and
  • help to better plan protective measures and enhance physical protection through the development of proactive and preventive security measures
Contact

Violence Prevention Network gGmbH
International Department
Alt-Reinickendorf 25
13407 Berlin

+49 30 407 55 122
niv.zonis@violence-prevention-network.de
https://www.partes-project.eu/

Project coordinator: Niv Zonis

Funded by the European Union
European Union Flag