18th June — International Day for Countering Hate Speech
Hate speech incites violence and weakens social cohesion. By fighting it, we protect individual freedoms and promote mutual respect.
In July of 2021, the UN General Assembly proclaimed the 18th of June as the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, building on the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech launched on 18 June 2019. This year marks the 3rd International Day for Countering Hate Speech. It serves as a reminder of the continuous need to vigilantly and aggressively push back against bigotry and intolerance around the world. Hatred has devastated people around the world for thousands of years. It is sadly one of our oldest practices. However, today its scale and impact are amplified by new communication technologies, so much so that divisive rhetoric and hateful ideologies can spread across the globe overnight.
Hate speech undermines the social and democratic fabric of communities, fostering division and profound harm at individual, group and societal levels. Online hate speech might seem like an unstoppable tide, but strategies are being employed by governments, civil society, and individuals, to fight back. By implementing robust policies, multi-faceted victim support structures as well as awareness and educative initiatives and others, we can create safer digital spaces.
We members of the SOCYTI research consortium are proud to have the opportunity to contribute to this fight through our work to create better tools to detect hate speech online.
As we mark this important day, let’s reaffirm our individual and collective commitment to combating hate speech, working collectively to build an inclusive, respectful, and just online community where every voice is valued, and hate has no place. No matter who we are or what we do, be it States, private sector businesses, media corporations, faith leaders, educators, or simply as individuals, we all have a moral duty to speak out firmly against hate speech and protect our fellow man.
Remember, you can always make a difference.