Protecting Places of Worship: SHIELDed Discussions in Berlin

Places of worship matter deeply to religious communities. They are open, symbolic spaces, firmly rooted in local life. Protecting them therefore requires not only appropriate security measures, but also a careful understanding of local communities’ needs. This perspective was a key focus of the SHIELDed project meetings in Berlin, attended by representatives of PPHS.

Two key questions came up repeatedly during the meetings in Berlin:

How can places of worship be effectively protected while taking into account the real needs of religious communities?
How can European security frameworks be translated into solutions that work in specific local communities?

The participants sought answers that will help develop the SHIELDed project on the basis of the experiences of communities, practitioners and institutions working locally.

SHIELDed project focuses on improving the safety of vulnerable spaces, including places of worship, schools and cultural centres, by combining practical protective measures with efforts to strengthen local resilience. During the event “Safeguarding places of worship in Europe—Perspectives from Civil Society, Public Authorities and affected Communities”, discussions addressed not only threats to religious sites, but above all how religious communities can be effectively involved in local prevention and response systems.

The importance of interfaith cooperation and dialogue between communities and decision-makers came through strongly. The protection of places of worship cannot be shaped by institutions alone. It must reflect the experiences and needs of the communities directly concerned. Equally important is translating European security frameworks into solutions that work in specific local contexts.

This is why Local Shielding Councils play a particularly important role in SHIELDed. These local platforms bring together public authorities, security practitioners and religious communities. In Poland, PPHS is responsible for establishing and coordinating the Local Shielding Council in Poznań. Its role is to create space for discussion on the security of places of worship and religious communities, and to help identify local needs more effectively.

Paulina Ińska
Project Manager
PPHS

During the meetings of the Local Shielding Council established in Poznań, we spoke with organisations involved in the protection of religious communities and places of worship about how important it is to understand the security needs of each community, as well as their customs and culture. That is why we are keen to reach as many representatives of religious communities in Poznań as possible, who—in cooperation with communities across Poland—will be able to share their voices with us on this important issue.

The meetings in Berlin showed that effective protection of places of worship and religious communities requires not only stronger physical security but also sustained cooperation with those who best understand local needs, experiences and tensions.