EU-level Network Dialogue on guidance and standards for Security by Design

Strengthening the security and resilience of at-risk religious sites and communities (SOAR) project is holding an online EU level Network Dialogue event on 29 March 2022 for network members, technical experts, agreed stakeholders, e.g. EU Commission, national government representatives, and identified academic institution representatives.

The EU-funded project SOAR (https://soarproject.eu/) aims at increasing the awareness of, and capacity to prevent and mitigate physical and human security threats to places of worship through Security by Design (SBD). The concept of ‘Security by Design’ incorporates security features into the design and fabric of the building and its urban context.

The project partners Enhancing Faith Institutions (EFI), the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, and the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) cooperate in this endeavour with an extensive network of professionals, including representatives from all majority and minority faiths practising within the EU. The project is supported by the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations.

This network dialogue meeting seeks to contribute to the development of bespoke standards in relation to places of worship. This activity shall include consideration by working groups of whether standards or best practice guidance is required specifically for ensuring security by design for religious sites, whether planning for new construction, renovations, or security upgrades of existing facilities. This activity may explore aspects such as:

1. The architecture, windows, structure, landscaping, perimeter, entrances/exits and all other physical elements.

2. Surveillance, the control room, access control, screening equipment, alarm, detection systems, information security, and security related technology.

3. Sensitive design principles for religious sites shall be explored to balance the need to provide a secure environment while creating the atmosphere of self-reflection that manifests from the form, space, scale, materiality, and light, in spiritual spaces.