PARTESS‑COM is a European project improving security at places of worship, faith‑based schools, and community centres by bringing religious communities and public authorities together to prevent hate-motivated incidents and strengthen cooperation.
PARTESS-COM is short for "PARticipatory approaches to proTEcting placeS of worship,
Schools and COMmunity centres".
PARTESS-COM will deliver a digital platform with practical security guidance, a mobile app for reporting incidents, training sessions for communities and authorities, and a public awareness campaign to promote prevention and cooperation.
It was launched in response to rising incidents of vandalism, harassment, and extremist violence targeting religious institutions across Europe. The project offers practical tools and training to enhance protection and mutual trust between stakeholders.
The project serves religious communities and their schools, law enforcement and municipal authorities, and citizens who wish to support prevention efforts and community resilience.
The PARTESS-COM project is co-financed by the European Union at a rate of 90%. It is funded under the Internal Security Fund (ISF), specifically through the call ISF-2024-TF2-AG-PROTECT, which supports actions to protect public spaces, including places of worship and community institutions.
The project started in March 2025 and is planned to be finished within 24 months, i.e. in February 2027.
The project involves 18 partner organisations from 12 European countries, including research institutes, religious communities, local authorities, and law enforcement agencies. Please visit the ABOUT US page for the full list of project partners and details on the project team.
The consortium is coordinated by the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip). oiip has extensive expertise in international security and extremism research, ensuring strong leadership and oversight for the project’s collaborative efforts.
The project is designed for sustainability: the platform and app will remain active for at least one year after project close‑out, partners will continue training and community coordination, and the network will stay connected for ongoing knowledge exchange.
