There is so many ways to express hate speech. For instance, for me hate speech means verbally abusing people based on various specific characteristics such as race, sexual orientation or disabilities. In my opinion, there is still a lot of work to do and we need to educate people and ourselves in such a sensitive matter. By far, the most effective way of communicating about this topic is by use of media such as videos. Other tools such as storytelling, painting or singing are also very good at raising awareness. In order to fight prejudice and hate, the most important resource the youth have is each other. By working together we are stronger and more effective. Other resources that are very helpful are the digital ones such as the internet and social media where our work can be seen by as many as possible. All in all, I think we’ve came a long way but we still have a lot of work to do, however we have so many tools such as art to use in conjunction with various resources such as the digital environment that make our struggle against hate speech seem achievable and necessary.
Andrea
It is crucial for us all to publicly denounce any form of communication, especially political discourse, that promotes racial superiority or hatred, or that incites racism, xenophobia, and related intolerance. The rise of xenophobia, racism, and intolerance is a global concern, with a disturbing increase in anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, and anti-Christian sentiment. Social media and other communication platforms are being exploited by bigots, and neo-Nazi and white supremacist movements are becoming more prominent. The use of inflammatory language to stigmatize and dehumanize minorities, migrants, refugees, women, and anyone perceived as an “other” is a widespread phenomenon that threatens to erode social cohesion and shared values. This trend towards hate is not limited to fringe elements of society but is becoming more mainstream, with damaging consequences for peace, stability, sustainable development, and human dignity. Hate speech has been a precursor to atrocities like genocide, and we are in danger of reaching another critical moment in our battle against this demon. To combat hate speech, the UN Strategy & Plan of Action on Hate Speech outlines 13 global and local commitments, including increasing understanding and monitoring of hate speech, identifying and addressing its root causes, and promoting alternative and positive narratives to counter it.
Esin