SHIELDed

In response to the global surge in disinformation, hate speech, and violence targeting vulnerable sites such as schools and places of worship, we seek to safeguard these meaningful spaces, and the communities connected to them. SHIELDed (Schools, religious communities and local authorities' Harmonised Initiative to Enhance Local resilience) is a three-year initiative funded by the Internal Security Fund, designed to strengthen local resilience and address these pressing challenges.

Building on the EU Action Plan for the Protection of Public Spaces, SHIELDed promotes cooperation between public authorities, faith-based organisations, educational institutions, and local communities. This multi-stakeholder effort is key to fostering a united and effective response.

At the heart of SHIELDed lays a commitment to strengthening public awareness, especially among the young. Through capacity building, education, community engagement, and the development of both preventative and response strategies, the project empowers local actors to take an active role in protection efforts.

By focusing on the security of spaces that support personal growth, cultural identity, and religious freedom, SHIELDed contributes to crime prevention and the mitigation of radicalisation and extremism, with a strong emphasis on early intervention and resilience.

• A local liaison programme with clear guidelines and designated contact persons to strengthen communication between communities and authorities.
• A multilingual SHIELDing app that helps assess security risks in places such as religious sites or schools and connects users with local support.
• A Europe-wide awareness campaign using posters, infographics, reels, and a video series to promote tolerance, safety, and cooperation.
• Four policy briefs summarising key lessons and recommendations to help public authorities improve policies for protecting vulnerable public spaces.

PPHS's role:

• Implementing collaborative multi-local security enhancement plans (for protecting places of worship, for religious schools, and for other religious public places).
• Organising Co-joint Training Events in Poznań.
• Developing 3 Action Kits: for local religious organizations/communities, educational institutions, security/law enforcement bodies.

Get in touch with us at projekty@ppbw.pl