A training on security awareness and crisis management in Europe was carried out for CEC Member Churches in Slovakia and France. The online sessions were part of the Safer and Stronger Communities in Europe (SASCE) project, held on 8 March and 13 March.
The SASCE project is carried out by CEC together with European religious partners, and is funded by the Internal Police Fund of the European Commission.
For the session in Slovakia, SASCE materials were translated into Slovakian.
Mgr Ladislav Krpala, General Secretary of the Slovakian Ecumenical Council and Nata Hovorkova, programme staff, discussed security risks, threats and challenges with Dr Elizabeta Kitanovic, CEC Executive Secretary for Human Rights.
The discussion revolved around the issues of reporting, establishing good relations with law enforcement, and creating a crisis management team before a crisis can take place.
The Conference of Churches along the Rhine also organised a discussion on security and safety of the worship places and crisis management. The SASCE material was presented to the church leaders and staff, as well as the scheme of the crisis management team.
The participants welcomed the security material as a useful tool to help churches encounter early threats in term of vandalisation of sacred sites and places of worship.
The SASCE project is in its concluding phase. It is implemented across 15 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.