Partess-Com

𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗔 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗦, 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦

Threats, incidents and security concerns can affect anyone in a religious community. At the same time, places of worship, faith-based schools and community centres need reliable resources to strengthen preparedness and learn from the experience of others.

Faith Guardian is now ready to use.

This platform and app bring together practical support for religious communities across Europe:

→ report threats, incidents or security concerns securely
→ access practical security resources and guidance (e.g. vetted CCTV systems, security concepts and access control systems)
→ exchange knowledge and experiences with peers

Explore Faith Guardian now, familiarise yourself with the available resources and register to make use of its features. And if you witness or experience a relevant incident or concern, you know where to report it. Faith Guardian reports are handled securely and confidentially.

𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗚𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡
https://app.faithguardian.eu/

More information about Faith Guardian:
https://www.partess-com.eu/faith-guardian


Österreichisches Institut für internationale Politik - oiip SCENOR - The Science Crew Enhancing Faith Institutions Fundación Euroárabe de Altos Estudios Uniwersytet Łódzki LLInformatics Violence Prevention Network Dublin City Interfaith Forum AcrossLimits (Malta) Fraenkelufer Synagogue Erzdiözese Wien Bridges - Eastern European Forum for Dialogue

𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗣𝗘𝗢𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗬, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗔𝗟𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟

For religious communities, security concerns do not begin only when someone approaches a place of worship with violent intent.

Hostile narratives, repeated misinformation and hate speech can also change behaviour. People may become more cautious about attending religious events, expressing their identity or participating openly in community life.

The difficult part is deciding how to respond without treating criticism, controversial opinions or legitimate debate as security threats.

In our new PARTESS-COM article, Olena Butnyk, researcher at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip), the project’s lead partner and coordinator, examines precisely this balance.

For faith communities across Europe, the objective is not to become less open. It is to remain open while becoming better prepared to recognise and respond to risks.

Read the article:
https://www.scenor.at/post/protecting-without-silencing-1?lang=en


Österreichisches Institut für internationale Politik - oiip SCENOR - The Science Crew Enhancing Faith Institutions Fundación Euroárabe de Altos Estudios Uniwersytet Łódzki LLInformatics Violence Prevention Network Diakonija Latvijā - LELB Diakonijas centrs Dublin City Interfaith Forum Bridges - Eastern European Forum for Dialogue Fraenkelufer Synagogue Erzdiözese Wien AcrossLimits (Malta)

PREPARATION STARTS WITH AWARENESS

People responsible for security at places of worship, connected schools and community centres cannot prepare for every possible incident. But staff and volunteers can understand vulnerabilities, know existing procedures and be better prepared to respond when something happens.

The PARTESS-COM “Prepare to Protect” poster brings together practical reminders on:

🔹 understanding vulnerabilities
🔹 maintaining awareness
🔹 reviewing existing security measures
🔹 training staff and volunteers

Print it, display it in a community space and use it as a starting point for regular discussions about safety and preparedness.

Download the poster in multiple languages:
https://www.partess-com.eu/prepare-to-protect



Österreichisches Institut für internationale Politik - oiip SCENOR - The Science Crew Enhancing Faith Institutions Fundación Euroárabe de Altos Estudios Uniwersytet Łódzki LLInformatics Violence Prevention Network Diakonija Latvijā - LELB Diakonijas centrs Dublin City Interfaith Forum Bridges - Eastern European Forum for Dialogue Fraenkelufer Synagogue Erzdiözese Wien AcrossLimits (Malta)

WHEN DID YOU LAST REVIEW THE SECURITY OF YOUR PLACE OF WORSHIP?

The buildings used by religious communities have different functions and security needs. This includes places of worship, connected schools and community centres.

For those responsible for their security, the PARTESS-COM Premises Security Checklist provides a practical structure for reviewing everyday vulnerabilities together with staff and volunteers.

It covers access points, alarm systems, visible valuables, empty premises and existing security and protection procedures.

The checklist can be printed, shared internally and used directly on site.

📄 Download it in multiple languages:
https://www.partess-com.eu/premises-sec-checklist

Österreichisches Institut für internationale Politik - oiip SCENOR - The Science Crew Enhancing Faith Institutions Fundación Euroárabe de Altos Estudios Uniwersytet Łódzki LLInformatics Violence Prevention Network Diakonija Latvijā - LELB Diakonijas centrs Dublin City Interfaith Forum Bridges - Eastern European Forum for Dialogue Fraenkelufer Synagogue Erzdiözese Wien AcrossLimits (Malta)

▌WHAT CAN BE DONE BEFORE EXPENSIVE SECURITY SYSTEMS ARE CONSIDERED?

Smaller faith communities often face the same security concerns as larger institutions, but with fewer staff and more limited budgets.

Preventive protection therefore needs to be practical, proportionate and adapted to the resources already available.

This edition introduces an approach that begins before major purchases are made. Read the four slides to see which aspects of everyday planning can contribute to safer places of worship.

Follow PARTESS-COM for further practical resources and updates on Faith Guardian.

https://www.partess-com.eu


Österreichisches Institut für internationale Politik - oiip SCENOR - The Science Crew Enhancing Faith Institutions Fundación Euroárabe de Altos Estudios Uniwersytet Łódzki LLInformatics Violence Prevention Network Diakonija Latvijā - LELB Diakonijas centrs Dublin City Interfaith Forum Bridges - Eastern European Forum for Dialogue Erzdiözese Wien AcrossLimits (Malta) Fraenkelufer Synagogue

▌WHAT SHOULD CHANGE IN THE SAFETY PLANNING OF PLACES OF WORSHIP?

More than 200 participants took part in twelve PARTESS-COM capacity-building trainings across Europe between December 2025 and June 2026.

Their experiences identified recurring problems in the protection and preparedness of places of worship that cannot be addressed through technical security measures alone:

🔹 unclear procedures for unfamiliar incidents
🔹 lasting effects of harassment and other low-level incidents
🔹 insufficient consideration of women’s experiences
🔹 limited capacity among smaller places of worship
🔹 incidents that remain undocumented because they are handled internally

Field Note 2 sets out four practical directions: rehearse clear procedures, involve affected congregants in safety planning, direct support towards institutions with fewer resources and improve responses to incidents that do not fit established reporting categories.

📄 Read Field Note 2:https://www.partess-com.eu/_files/ugd/ff9c7a_42fb30cb4599447d8b5dd3c49c1d6422.pdf

🔎 Explore further PARTESS-COM resources:
https://www.partess-com.eu/resources



Österreichisches Institut für internationale Politik - oiip SCENOR - The Science Crew Enhancing Faith Institutions Fundación Euroárabe de Altos Estudios Uniwersytet Łódzki LLInformatics Violence Prevention Network Diakonija Latvijā - LELB Diakonijas centrs Dublin City Interfaith Forum Bridges - Eastern European Forum for Dialogue Erzdiözese Wien AcrossLimits (Malta)

🛡️ SAFER PLACES START WITH SHARED KNOWLEDGE

Building safer places of worship requires more than isolated action. It requires cooperation, trust, and practical exchange.

That is what PARTESS-COM is about.

The project brings together communities, researchers, practitioners, and other relevant stakeholders across Europe to strengthen prevention and resilience and to support safer, better-informed responses to security risks.

Follow PARTESS-COM for:
✔ project updates
✔ new resources and insights
✔ news on the upcoming Faith Guardian app

Find out more here:
https://www.partess-com.eu/

You can also follow the project on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to stay updated.



Österreichisches Institut für internationale Politik - oiip SCENOR - The Science Crew Enhancing Faith Institutions Fundación Euroárabe de Altos Estudios Uniwersytet Łódzki LLInformatics Violence Prevention Network Diakonija Latvijā - LELB Diakonijas centrs Dublin City Interfaith Forum Bridges - Eastern European Forum for Dialogue Erzdiözese Wien AcrossLimits (Malta)

▌DID YOU KNOW?

Many security challenges at places of worship do not begin with a crisis.

They begin with small signs, repeated incidents, missing information or risks that communities handle alone.

These slides show how PARTESS-COM and Faith Guardian support a more practical approach to preparedness, reporting and exchange.

More:
https://www.partess-com.eu

Save or share this post with people working on community safety or the protection of places of worship.



Österreichisches Institut für internationale Politik - oiip SCENOR - The Science Crew Enhancing Faith Institutions Fundación Euroárabe de Altos Estudios Uniwersytet Łódzki LLInformatics Violence Prevention Network Diakonija Latvijā - LELB Diakonijas centrs Dublin City Interfaith Forum Bridges - Eastern European Forum for Dialogue Erzdiözese Wien AcrossLimits (Malta)