Building a European response to the challenges of religious diversity

  • Feb 07, 2020.

The launch of the RESILIENCE project, funded under the EU Horizon 2020 program, from September 2019 marked an important step towards the establishment of a European research infrastructure in the field of religious studies. Twelve academic institutions from ten countries joined forces to start this two-year project with the ultimate goal of building a European response to the challenges of religious diversity.

Religious diversity presents an increasing challenge to European society, resulting in an increased need for mutual understanding. The infrastructure of religious studies will contribute to understanding through scientific research, with the belief that knowledge is the best tool for a common response to questions related to religious diversity.

Preparatory actions for the establishment of such a research infrastructure at the European level took place in the past years through the ReIReS project, which was also financed by the Horizon 2020 program. Continuing in the same direction, twelve academic institutions from ten countries joined forces in the RESILIENCE project, the beginning of which marked the first meeting held on 6–7. September 2019 in Bologna.

RESILIENCE (REligious Studies Infrastructure: tools, Expert, conNections and CEenters) will primarily serve the academic community, but at the same time, its influence will expand significantly beyond the academic community. RESILIENCE offers tools for an innovative approach to religious studies that can be used to build a European response to the challenges of religious diversity.

Currently, the RESILIENCE project is focused on the preparation of a proposal for the establishment of a research infrastructure in religious studies. The proposal will be presented to the ESFRI Forum on May 5, 2020, with the expectation that it will become part of the new ESFRI Roadmap for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI Roadmap 2021).

"We are especially proud of the RESILIENCE project, which is one of the four new H2020 projects of the University of Sarajevo. This project, with the support of the Rectorate of the University of Sarajevo, will be implemented at the Faculty of Islamic Sciences and the Catholic Faculty of Theology. Through RESILIENCE, the University of Sarajevo will achieve cooperation with eleven respectable European universities and research organizations, and will contribute to the establishment of a European research infrastructure in the field of religious studies," emphasized Prof. Ph.D. Dženana Husremović, vice-rector for scientific research at the University of Sarajevo.

RESILIENCE started in September 2019 and will last for two years. Funds are secured from the European Union's Horizon 2020 program, based on agreement no. 871127. Horizon 2020 is a European research and innovation funding program in Europe.

ESFRI is the European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructures. It is a strategic instrument for developing the scientific integration of Europe and strengthening its international reach.
More information will soon be available at: www.resilience-ri.eu.

Partners in the RESILIENCE project:

  • Fondazione per le Scienze Religiose Giovanni XXIII (IT)

  • Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Muenster (DE)

  • École Pratique des Hautes Études (FR)

  • Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (BE)

  • Leibniz-Institut für Europäische Geschichte (DE)

  • Uniwersytet Warszawski (PL)

  • Institut für Angewandte Informatik (DE)

  • Theological University of Apeldoorn (NL)

  • Sofijski univerzitet „Sveti Kliment Ohridski“ (BG)

  • Volos Academy for Theological Studies (GR)

  • Univerzitet u Sarajevu (BiH)

  • Albanian University UFO (AL)

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