The CO-SECUR project will participate in the 30th German Prevention Congress, taking place on 23-24 June 2025 in Augsburg. This year’s theme is “Prevention and Social Peace,” and CO-SECUR will present innovative approaches to improving security in public spaces, particularly in crowded areas and large events.
LECTURE: Social and participatory approaches for security innovation
Laura Llop-Medina, University of Valencia
In this session, Laura Llop-Medina will address the complex security challenges in crowded public spaces, where high-density situations complicate emergency response efforts. Drawing on the findings of the CO-SECUR project, she will highlight how social innovation—driven by public participation and community engagement—can enhance security in such environments. The session will explore lessons from the last decade, including case studies from European countries, and provide a comparative overview of how different nations address shared security challenges in public spaces and large-scale events.
LECTURE: Social innovation in security: CO-SECUR Case Studies
Carina Dantas and Harm op den Akker, SHINE 2Europe
Carina Dantas will present early findings from the CO-SECUR project, showcasing a comprehensive mapping of over 180 best practices and case studies of social innovation in security from nine European countries (Spain, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Portugal, Romania, Poland, Greece, Lithuania) and beyond. These examples demonstrate the effectiveness of incorporating social approaches into security strategies and offer valuable insights for developing a roadmap to improve security perceptions across Europe through community-driven solutions.
PANEL: Increasing security perception by leveraging on Social Sciences
PhD Maite Ferrando, Kveloce
Dr. Meike Hecker, Deutsch-Europäisches Forum für Urbane Sicherheit (DEFUS)
This panel will explore the evolving security challenges in public spaces and discuss the importance of socially accepted effective solutions. The focus will be on the role of social sciences—such as social innovation, participatory methodologies, and user-centric design—in improving citizens’ perceptions of security.
The panel will feature insights from the CO-SECUR project and its Advisory Board, with contributions from experts based in Finland, Lithuania, Romania, Greece, Poland, and Canada (TBC). Moderated by Maite Ferrando, PhD, and Meike Hecker, the session will begin with brief, impactful pitches from international experts, followed by an open debate on the relevance and impact of social approaches in security. Confirmed panelists include Maria Mekri, Andrius Jaržemskis, Lucia Cristea, Dinos Nikolaidis-Konstas, and Michal Woch.
Discover more about the Conference.
