The seminar, which is organised by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the EU in cooperation with the Centre for International and European and Economic Law (CIEEL), is titled “How can EU Member States combat hate crime effectively? Encouraging reporting and improving recording”. Representing the Grants at the seminar is Ambassador Ingrid Schulerud, who is among the speakers.
Taking a stand
Just like the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are taking a strong stance against hate speech and hate crime - using the EEA and Norway Grants as a tool both to raise awareness of the issue and its risks for democracy, as well as promote tolerance and multicultural awareness. Challenging intolerance and promoting democracy, fundamental rights and equality are values that sit squarely at the heart of the Grants.
The Grants support a range of initiatives to tackle hate speech online and offline in the various funding sectors, mainly through civil society and the NGO programmes.
NGO programmes have been set up in all beneficiary countries and actively address hate speech as well as tackle extremism, racism and xenophobia, homophobia and anti-Semitism. NGOs can apply directly to programmes in their country for funding for projects that set out to counter or raise consciousness of hate speech.
The Grants also work to counter hatred, protect minorities and strengthen fundamental rights through programmes in other areas - migration and asylum, gender equality and gender-based violence, trafficking, cultural heritage and diversity, social inclusion, fairer justice systems and research and education.
Click here to download our hate speech and hate crime fact sheet