TITLE:
Freedom of Religious Beliefs and Protection of Cultural Heritage: A Comparative Study between Four EU Member States and Recommendations for Training, Education and Awareness Raising
AUTHORS:
Panayiota Constanti, Mandy Stalder-Thon, Eliza Patouris
KEYWORDS:
EU, Good Practice, Places of Worship, Protection and Security, Cultural Heritage, Religion
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.11 No.4,
April
10,
2023
ABSTRACT: Terrorist attacks and
religious hate crimes have escalated in recent years, putting places of worship in greater danger around the world, especially in
Europe. Short- and long-term consequences of such attacks, according to the
European Commission, include acute physical injuries to people and/or irreparable destruction to highly significant religious
artefacts, as well as long-term psychological traumas and increased terror in
society. Despite EU and worldwide efforts to defend places of worship,
there remains a scarcity of information on the reasons of such assaults and how
to prevent them in the future. This paper shares original desk and field
research conducted with law enforcement agents, religious leaders, and members
of religious communities regarding the social ecosystem analysis of protecting
religious heritage in the four partner countries as part of the PROSECUW
Project, which is co-funded by the EU (Cyprus, Greece, Germany, and Portugal).
Despite the multiplicity of situations, research findings point to a common
need for better communication and understanding among members of various
religious communities, as well as further training and education for acceptance
of diversity, as crucial tools for religious site protection. The paper
concludes with key security and protection recommendations for places of
worship, including the adoption of novel approaches and instruments to both
strengthen security and protect religious heritage.