Protection of public institutions, infrastructure, and soft targets

The UNICRI worldwide programme on Major Events Security, launched in 2002 and backed by the UN ECOSOC Resolution 2006/28, is aimed at providing technical assistance to policy-makers and practitioners in planning the security of Major Events, with a specific focus on coordination methodologies and standards.

The programme is based on the premise that Major Events are "windows of opportunity" since they not only bring along improved international cooperation in their security planning and implementation but, very often, they increase the resources available to national security planners. Consequently, Major Events represent an occasion for the latter to design, apply and, when appropriate, adopt on a standard basis new security strategies, methodologies and products to enhance public order and crime prevention, and improve the standard national security policies and practices.

Moreover, Major Events require building effective and sustainable security strategies and operational responses. In this way, they provide a legacy that can lead to relevant developments in national security planning and existing structures, as well as new approaches in response to new and emerging threats to the national security. Within the programme, and in line with the UNICRI Security Governance Approach, regional initiatives have been developed in Europe (The House, which has developed from EU-SEC and then EU-SEC II) and in the Americas (IPO Americas).

In 2020, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), in partnership with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) and in consultation with the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), joined forces to launch the 'Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism'. This new programme is aiming at developing innovative policies and practices to strengthen the protection of major sporting events through enhanced international cooperation, public-private partnerships and sustainable security approaches, while promoting the values of sport as a powerful means to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism.