FORUM:"The power of partnerships in countering speech" UN International Day for Countering Hate Speech 2026. On 21 July 2021, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/75/309 on “Promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech.” This resolution, that was presented to Member States by the Kingdom of Morocco, and which builds up on the first-ever resolution on hate speech A/RES/73/328, marked an important milestone in advancing global efforts to address and counter hate speech in all its forms and manifestations, including in the digital context. The resolution proclaims 18 June as the ‘International Day for Countering Hate Speech to be observed annually. The first International Day was marked in 2022. In follow up to resolution A/RES/73/328, at the initiative of the Kingdom of Morocco, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/77/318 in 2023 which acknowledges the negative impact of hate speech on human rights, peace and inclusion. The resolution further calls on all key actors and relevant stakeholders, particularly Member States, to increase their efforts to counter discrimination and hate speech. Within the UN system, tackling hate speech remains a key priority through the implementation of the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech. Subsequently, General Assembly resolution A/RES/79/316 adopted in June 2025 “encourages Member States to consider […] initiatives that identify areas for practical action in all sectors and levels of society for the promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, tolerance, understanding and cooperation” as a tool to counter hate speech. The UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech underscores the importance of partnerships in the fight against hate speech. Indeed, as hate speech affects the whole society, a whole-of-society approach is necessary to address this phenomenon. Relatedly, the UN Strategy stresses the need to raise awareness about respect for human rights, non-discrimination, coexistence, acceptance and respect for diversity and understanding of other cultures and religions, as well as the promotion of intercultural, interfaith and interreligious dialogue. It urges for the use of advocacy to highlight hate speech trends of concern as well as to express sympathy and support to targeted individuals or groups. This is most resonant in the current context of rising conflicts globally, both in their frequency and intensity as well as in the ways in which hate speech is used to fuel them. Unlike any other time in our history, we are witnessing these conflicts and trends in real-time, livestreamed across different platforms – the average. individual, and society as a whole, have never had access to more information than today, but they have also never been more saturated with it. Whilst increased access to information should lead to more awareness and action, the speed with which new and emerging technologies are disseminating them, coupled with the proliferation and virality of hate speech, misinformation and disinformation, have led to a concerning decrease in empathy for their tragic consequences. To protect all those at risk of hate speech, which can lead to incitement to violence, and to prevent hate speech becoming a normalized tool of power and influence, there is an urgent need to further strengthen practical approaches and tools, and scalable strategies to break the cycles of hate, elevate empathy, and acceptance , and respect for diversity as critical pillars in any society and reinforce the foundations of dialogue and understanding as instrumental to building peaceful and just societies. These practical approaches entail policies, new technologies and innovative partnerships to advance and sustain efforts to not only address the root causes of hate speech but also mitigate its impact on societies and communities and to counter it. They consider the intersection of education, media, digital literacy, monitoring, data collection and identification of access points for interventions. In the current international landscape, partnerships also remain essential in designing and implementing these practical tools and approaches for countering hate speech and other noxious narratives and contribute to a healthy information ecosystem. Follow the conversation with the #HateSpeech, #18june, #NotoHate, #hatred, #hate, #CounteringHateSpeech. #Thepowerofpartnerships
EVENT: On June 18th, from 10:00 - 12:00 EDT in the Conference Room 4 at the United Nations, New York, a High-level event to mark the 5th International Day for Countering Hate Speech focused on partnerships and coalition building, with emphasis on practical approaches and tools for countering hate speech.This year marks the 5th International Day for Countering Hate Speech. To commemorate it, the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Morocco, jointly with the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, is organizing the annual High-Level Event. The objective are to - Showcase the work of various actors in countering hate speech. - To Stress the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach in combating hateful narratives and to Discuss good practices and lessons learned in countering hate speech. Read the concept note, Register to participate and Watch the international Day for Countering Hate Speech 2026 "The power of partnerships in countering speech".
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