Welcome to the International Conference
Protect and Secure Worship
Protecting and Securing our Religious Heritage through Multisectoral Collaboration
The conference brings together public authorities, security agents, religious leaders, decision makers, local communities and the civil society actors aiming to enhance protection at places of worship in European countries, by setting up a fertile ground for an open dialogue, exchange of valuable knowledge and practices, creation of local and international synergies and cooperation among them, with the ultimate goal to develop their capacity to counteract radicalisation and hate-speech, in an effort to promote inter-religious respect and diversity.
“Public spaces are particularly vulnerable to terrorist attacks due to their accessible and open nature and with the Security Union Strategy and the EU Counter-Terrorism Agenda, the Commission is taking steps to support EU Member States in enhancing their protection. Furthermore, protecting places of worship of all faiths is an absolute priority for the EU and an important element of the ‘’protect’’ pillar under the EU Counter-Terrorism Agenda. The Commission will continue to fund projects that focus on the protection of places of worship and that foster cooperation between different faith communities and national authorities across the EU”. Tamara Muñoz, European Commission
Hybrid format:
- Physical attendance: Chateau Status, Markou Drakou 12, Nicosia 1102, CyprusPhysical attendance: Chateau Status, Markou Drakou 12, Nicosia 1102, Cyprus
- Online Attendance: Livestream at the PROSECUW YouTube ChannelOnline Attendance: Livestream at the PROSECUW YouTube Channel

FREE ENTRANCE
Language: English (with live Greek translation)
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USEFUL DOCUMENTS:
09:30 – 10:00
Registrations and welcoming with coffee & snacks
10:00 – 10:15
Conference Opening Speeches
10:15 – 11:00
Panel 1 – ‘Protecting Places of Worship: Sharing European Stories and Experiences’
11:10 – 12:10
Parallel Workshops (Workshop 1,Workshop 2,Workshop 3)
12:30 – 12:45
Break with Coffee & Finger Food
12:45 – 13:00
Reporter on the 3 Workshops
13:00 – 14:00
Panel 2 – ‘Opening the Dialogue for a Multiagency Response towards Religious Freedom’
14:00 – 14:20
Concluding Remarks
14:30 – 15:30
Standing Lunch and Networking Gala
VENUES
We introduce you to our venue area with a distinct cultural, historical and political importance, consisting of the Chateau Status, the Ledra Palace Hotel, the United Nations Buffer Zone and the Home for Cooperation.
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Speakers & Reporters
We introduce you to our speakers, an international and carefully chosen blend of experts coming from key public and private multisectoral backgrounds at national and EU level, including the European Commission and well established institutions from Cyprus, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Italy, Austria, Ireland, Estonia, Belgium.
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ORGANISERS
We introduce you to our organisers, a dynamic team of unstoppable and competent professionals who worked tirelessly to reach excellence, but above all, to reach the greatest impact as a result for this conference. We thank them all!
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Performances & Installations
We introduce you to our powerful amalgam of local artists, known for their recognised and established artistic work on diversity, inclusion and peacebuilding.

Nama Dama
Nama Dama is the stage name of songwriter and performer Anastasia Demetriadou, and she is a music creator/performer from Nicosia. Starting in 2019, her solo project evolved from piano pieces with voice to a one woman show. Each of her musical performances differs according to its theme, however there are always the traditional elements that marry with the electronic sound. Intense and atmospheric vocals and live looping are important elements of her performances, as well as poetry, movement and theatrical monologue.
The artist’s today’s performance titled ‘Sapiens’ is a passionate, unique and impeccable theatrical song and a journey to the realms of fantasy and the unknown comprising constructed soundscapes of mesmerising grandeur and solemn beauty; African polyrhythms, Gaelic folk, Middle Eastern music, mantras, and art rock. A chilling and touching experience, through which she seeks to explore the complexity of human existence.

IDAEON Project & Diya Arishe
‘’Idaeon project’’ (ΙΔΑΙΟΝ project) is an experiment folk-rock group with Cretan & Mediterranean sound references based in Nicosia, Cyprus. Vaggelis Gettos (luth, vocals), Hugo Enrique Olivos (drums) & Alexis Yiangoullis (bass), through their original material which is included in their debut album, dive into myths, stories and personal references to reveal the epicenter of history, the eternal struggle for human dignity. On the occasion of this conference, the group hosts the Syro-Palestinian poet Diya Arishe and together perform an iconic part of the ‘’The Prophet’’ by Khalil Gibran in that praise solidarity, acceptance and love.

Freideriki Tombazou
Freideriki Tombazou is a singer based in Nicosia, involved with the sounds of pre-war and Smyrna school of rebetiko and folk. She has been collaborating with notable local artists and she is particularly involved in research and community music projects promoting the Cypriot music and the common musical culture of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, in an effort to support peacebuilding, equality and human rights in the Cypriot society. She likes to study history and current affairs to be able to take a position on the things happening around her. She believes that it is the duty of the people involved in the arts to be at the forefront, to want, dream and fight for a better world.

Continuous Thread
”Continuous thread” is a project that is based on the artwork ”founden threads”. In 2016, Alexandra Pambouka created this installation which is made of crochet jude twine and branches. The basic idea is that the artwork can be continuously changed (like humanity). It can be applied in any space, rolled, be stretched and fit in a suitcase. Every time that it is exhibited it will be in a different form. The human being has always been moving for survival or progression. Memories, customs, and traditions are his only heritage – House. In a shifting period, the traditional patterns are not reproduced the same. Someone can ‘knit’ their own history by taking the “founden threads” according to their measures. At this moment, artists, craftsmen and other volunteers are invited to participate to the process of transforming the installation and to be a part of the ”Continuous thread”. As a result, the artwork becomes a socially engaged practice.

COLLABORATORS & VOLUNTEERS
We introduce you to our dedicated external collaborators and our beautiful CSI colleagues volunteering at this event, a united team of motivated professionals, who contributed to the success of this conference, with their invaluable support, team spirit and positive energy. Thank you for your commitment!
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Constantina Charalambous
Architect and Graphic Designer
CSI Staff Volunteers