A briefing and training on security awareness and crisis management within the Safer and Stronger Communities project* will take place virtually for the SASCE ambassadors and in person for the local community in Madrid that suffered through a terrorist attack in 2004. We are also aware of the recent alleged ‘terrorist’ attack that occurred in front of two churches in Algeciras in the south of Spain - where one person attacked several people and one person died.

In view of these attacks, we would like to invite the Spanish community members to attend the training on security awareness and crisis management in person at their local church situated at Noviciado 5, 28015 Madrid.

CEC is a member of the interfaith consortium for the project Safer and Stronger Communities in Europe (SASCE) with the European Jewish Congress (SACC-Security and Crisis Management Center), Faith Matters, and the European Buddhist Union: https://www.sasce.eu/

The consortium has produced the following material:

1. Briefings on security awareness for the church/religious leaders
2. Training guides for church staff and worshippers on security awareness
3. Diverse information - available online
4. Monthly reports on violations of religious freedom linked to the security aspect.

Chosen ‘ambassadors’ from several of our member churches have been supporting the project which is now drawing to a close. While the project is ending, our work has only just begun and the issue of security itself is still relevant for religious communities in Europe.

We kindly invite all ‘ambassadors’ and all those interested in this topic to join us virtually for a training on crisis management, where we will also share lessons learned and challenges encountered so far.

We would also like to discuss the need within the CEC constituency to continue with this issue and apply for further funding.

CEC Member Churches in 15 EU countries are the prime target group, according to the project agreement, namely: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, France, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

All material has been translated into the 15 corresponding country languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Polish, Slovakian, Estonian, Greek, Croatian, and Finnish.

10 videos have been produced in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Hungarian.

All churches in Europe are more than welcome to join us.

Agenda

Refreshment/Light lunch from 12.30pm

14.00 - 15.00	Welcome by Dr Elizabeta Kitanovic, Executive Secretary for Human Rights and Rev. Dr Patrick Roger Schnabel, EKBO/EKD Presentation of SASCE project – Response of European Churches by Dr Elizabeta Kitanovic, Executive Secretary for Human Rights and Rev. Dr Patrick Roger Schnabel, EKBO/EKD
15.00 -17.00	Training on crisis management and security awareness by Ophir Revach, CEO of SACC by EJC
18.00	Conclusions   by Rev. Alfredo Abad, President of the Spanish Evangelical Church, Dr Elizabeta Kitanovic and Revd. Dr Patrick Roger Schnabel

*This project is funded by the Internal Police Fund of the European Commission.