The COST Action CA20107, “Connecting Theory and Practical Issues of Migration and Religious Diversity” (COREnet), launches the COREnet Database, which compiles activities at the intersection of migration and religious diversity. This comprehensive digital database brings together knowledge, practice, and partnerships from across Europe, documenting national and local initiatives and academic activities in EU countries.

Features of the COREnet Database

In an increasingly complex world where migration and religious diversity continue to shape societies, the EU-funded project COREnet responds with a dynamic tool designed to present knowledge and valuable resources to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. The newly launched database provides information on stakeholders and organisations working with migration, religious diversity, or both, at national and local levels across EU countries. Additionally, this database features a list of practice-based research projects that examine the intersection of migration and religion in the EU context. Finally, the third section of the database collects information on recent and relevant publications rooted in local practices that reflect the interaction between migration and religious diversity.
Prof. Milda Ališauskienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania), Chair of the COST Action COREnet, emphasised that the launch of the COREnet database finalises one of the core network’s activities and provides a solid ground for the future cooperation between researchers and stakeholders working in the migration and religious diversity fields: “Hopefully, it will serve for future knowledge and expertise exchange and cooperation for creating new international alliances for research and social opportunities” - says Prof. Ališauskienė.

Why the COREnet Database Matters

The intersection of migration and religion is often underexplored, yet it is vital for understanding social cohesion, integration policies, and intercultural dialogue. By mapping the landscape of organisations, projects, and publications, the COREnet database offers a panoramic view of how different societies navigate these challenges and opportunities.
According to Prof. Annette Leis Peters, COREnet Vice-Chair (VID Specialized University, Norway), the database reflects the richness and diversity of knowledge and experience in the field of migration and religious diversity that is brought together in COREnet: “Collaborating with researchers and practitioners from 35 countries fosters a continuous learning process and allows for the exposure to perspectives that one may not have considered before. The database aims to make parts of this unique compilation of knowledge and expertise accessible to those engaged in the field. The entries illustrate that there is a huge variety of important insights and good practices that can be used as resources, as well as stakeholders who can be contacted when seeking answers to complex challenges at both national and local levels.”
The COREnet database is set to be a useful resource for academics, civil society organisations, governmental agencies, and other stakeholders involved in migration and religious diversity. It supports the discovery of innovative research ideas based on real-world practices and helps to connect with potential project partners who have shared interests and complementary expertise. Furthermore, it presents academic and policy-relevant publications that bridge the gap between theory and practical application.

A Collaborative Effort Across Europe

The COREnet database reflects the collaborative work of the COST Action COREnet members, which brings together scholars and practitioners from over 35 European countries. Each COREnet member country has contributed by identifying and documenting local actors, grassroots initiatives, research outputs, and publications that are often difficult to find on other databases and search engines. This collective effort ensures that the database is inclusive, context-rich, and representative of Europe’s diverse experiences with migration and religion.
For instance, entries in the database range from local NGOs supporting refugee integration through faith-based activities, to municipal programs fostering interreligious dialogue, to university-led research projects that assess the impact of religious identity on migration narratives.

As COREnet Working Group 3 leader Goda Cicėnaitė (University of Iceland) expressed, this database is a great example of successful collaboration between multiple states to create an interactive knowledge hub: “The simplicity of the design of the database is the key to guaranteed accessibility and easy navigation for all. The database can be instrumental in learning and getting a broader overview of work done in the intersection of migration and religious diversity in different countries, as well as for comparative purposes of data in particular nation-states. We hope that the COREnet database will be used by practitioners and experienced researchers, but also by students who would like to pursue research in these or relevant fields. The content of the database has the potential to inspire the creation of new initiatives or the application of the existing ones in different contexts.”

The COREnet team invites researchers, NGOs, municipal agencies, and others engaged or interested in the fields of migration and religious diversity to explore the database and use it as a springboard for their work.

For more information on COREnet and to explore the database, visit https://corenetcost.eu/database/

Watch the video on how to use the database https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=566J_Fk7uxI&t=2s