SHIELDed

In response to the global rise in disinformation, hatred, and the resulting violence targeting soft targets such as schools and places of worship, the SHIELDed project aims to work towards the protection of these symbolic locations, and their communities.

To accomplish this – and building on the EU Action Plan to support the Protection of Public Spaces – SHIELDed will promote cooperation among public authorities, faith-based organisations, educational institutions, and local communities.

It is crucial for these stakeholders to fully understand the potential threats, the associated prevention and mitigation efforts, which will be achieved through pre-emptive training programmes, the development, testing, and sharing of knowledge, tools and materials, and the investment in local networks and remembrance.

Additionally, SHIELDed aims to enhance public awareness, by working with local communities and their youth. This will be achieved through  capacity building, cooperation, awareness-raising and preventive and response mechanisms.  

SHIELDed’s goal  of protecting symbolic places for personal, cultural and religious development plays a crucial role in crime prevention and mitigation of radicalisation and extremism, through primary and secondary preventive mechanisms. Its focus on enhancing literacy, tolerance, and resilience will be crucial  for tertiary prevention, particularly in  aiding  the (re)integration of persons with criminal convictions.