In July 2021, the UN General Assembly highlighted global concerns over “the exponential spread and proliferation of hate speech” around the world and adopted a resolution on “promoting inter-religious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech”.
The resolution recognises the need to counter discrimination, xenophobia and hate speech and calls on all relevant actors, including states, to step up their efforts to address this phenomenon, in line with international human rights law. This is how the International Day for Countering Hate Speech was established.
Addressing and countering hate speech is, therefore, a necessity. It requires a holistic approach, mobilising society as a whole. All individuals and organisations – including governments, the private sector, media, Internet companies, faith leaders, educators, youth and civil society – have a moral duty to speak out firmly against hate speech and can play a crucial role in countering this scourge.
If you’d like to delve into the topic of human rights, you can find many relevant speeches on the Speech Repository.