The main goal of the webinar was to explore the current threats to places of worship and discuss the key initiatives of the SPIRIT project, as well as those of another five European projects addressing these challenges.
The session also outlined projects for closer collaboration between religious communities and security forces, as well as how to strengthen their capabilities through specific training.
In the case of Barcelona City Council, the City Police intendent major Jordi Guerrero talked about the importance of security training for religious centres, as well as carrying out interactive exercises with security forces, and explained the specific training offered by the police corps.
Various Barcelona City Police units are taking part in this project, which has the mission of improving police readiness relating to places of worship and large religious gatherings in a multi-functional environment and at multiple levels.
The project involves public and private organisations from eight countries, including Barcelona’s City Police, and concludes in April 2025. You can find more information on the project website.