Enhancing Faith Institutions at the PARTES Final Conference: Building a Legacy of Resilience Across Europe
On June 15–16, 2025, Vienna became a hub of interfaith collaboration and security innovation as the final conference of the PARTES Project convened experts, faith leaders, and civil society actors from across Europe. Among the key contributors was Enhancing Faith Institutions (EFI), our presence underscored the organisation’s pivotal role in safeguarding places of worship and fostering resilient faith communities.
The event, titled “Protecting Places of Worship in Context and Beyond – Mapping Hate, Developing Responses,” showcased the culmination of the PARTES Project’s work in addressing the growing threats to religious sites. Central to the discussions was the unveiling of the Guardian Approach—a holistic framework integrating physical security, cyber resilience, community engagement, and psychosocial support.
EFI’s contribution focused on the SOAR Project, a flagship initiative funded by the EU and led by EFI in partnership with Finn Church Aid and the Architects’ Council of Europe. SOAR—Strengthening the Security and Resilience of At-Risk Religious Sites and Communities—has been instrumental in developing practical tools and training to help faith institutions across Europe respond to evolving security challenges. At the conference, EFI presented its work on building a legacy of resilience, highlighting how the SOAR project empowers places of worship to adopt a “security by design” approach while preserving their openness and spiritual mission.
The Vienna gathering was more than a showcase—it was a call to action. EFI’s participation reinforced the importance of inclusive, community-led strategies in countering hate and extremism. By sharing insights from SOAR’s pilot projects and digital tools, EFI demonstrated how faith institutions can become not only safer but also more connected and confident in their role as pillars of European civil society.
For more on EFI’s ongoing work, visit efiorg.eu.
