Keeping Our Sacred Spaces Safe
by Sharon Rosen
From Christchurch mosque in New Zealand to Wat Rattananupab temple in Thailand, from synagogues in the US to churches in Sri Lanka, places of worship have faced devastating attacks in 2019. Many more have experienced desecration and intimidation. While such violence has harmed thousands of people, it also creates a powerful opportunity for change.
Regardless of creed, all people of faith yearn to protect their holy spaces and feel safe within them. By harnessing this common need, we can reduce hostility between faith groups and build communities resilient to violence and fear. Through my 15 years of work with the world’s largest peacebuilding organization, Search for Common Ground, I have seen how faith communities unite to support their neighbors in times of vulnerability.
As religious and government leaders gather this week in Washington, DC, for the second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, now is the time for a united stand on this issue. From the U.S. to my home city of Jerusalem, the protection of holy sites is a cause that unites us all.
Attacks on holy sites do more than physical harm; they strike a blow to the psyche of a community by damaging deeply held identities and violating spaces where people have the right to feel safe. Where there is darkness, however, there is also hope. Though attacks against sacred spaces aim to divide communities, they often have the opposite effect.
Over the last four years, I have witnessed the power of trust-building in Mount Zion. Search for Common Ground has partnered with the Jerusalem Intercultural Center to bridge divides between Christians, Jews, and Muslims. In the past, tensions were rife, and attacks on people and sites were a common occurrence. Now, religious leaders on Mount Zion regularly meet to discuss and solve common problems.
In 2016, following an act of vandalism against the Dormition Abbey, I watched as religious leaders joined to publicly denounce the attack. Recently, I have watched as a local Muslim cemetery, normally closed to outsiders, opened its gates to allow volunteers of different faiths to help with cleaning, while a local Ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary provided refreshments. I have watched volunteers support interfaith prayer services and local guides lead youth tours of each of the Abrahamic faiths. Focused on the protection of holy sites, a multi-pronged approach has spurred interreligious cooperation and created a safer, more joyous place for millions of pilgrims.
It may seem that such cooperation is inadequate to confront extremist violence. Indeed, protecting holy sites is only part of the solution. Still, the case of Mount Zion demonstrates that engaging religious actors and other stakeholders around the protection of holy sites can change the way that conflicting communities live together. It can create partnerships that prevent hostility, fear, and violence.
As concerned civilians and leaders in our communities, we have to be proactive. We cannot wait for the next attack or act of desecration to inspire action. In a world where many disagree over religious freedom, all of us — governments, community leaders, religious actors, and media — can recognize the safety of holy sites as a shared goal, one that crosses divisions of religion, culture, and nationality.
One year ago, the first Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom laid out a “Potomac Plan of Action,” which, among other things, called for efforts to safeguard cultural heritage sites and respond quickly to the destruction or vandalization of holy sites. This plan marked an improvement, but there is still more to do.
Local and national governments, multilateral institutions, and the media can prioritize the active prevention of violence against holy sites by supporting religious and community leaders who are working to reconcile identity clashes and build partnerships against violence. Through a global campaign to protect holy sites, coupled with initiatives to build trust, mutual respect, and resilience at the grassroots level, we can create a world where people are not only free but also safe to practice their faith.
Sharon Rosen is Search for Common Ground’s Global Director for Religious Engagement. She lives in Jerusalem.
