Description
The project introduces in the Polish human rights education system the tools developed under the Council of Europe Campaign “No Hate", and is intended to consolidate its Polish coalition. About 240 persons working in formal and informal education from 16 voivodeships will be trained to fully use the Council of Europe campaign handbook “Bookmarks" - an innovative tool intended to counteract the hate speech on the Internet - in their work with the youth (where such activities are most needed and can bring the best results). The handbook can also be adapted for work with adults. The professional education personnel will pass the knowledge to their pupils. The project will be prepared and implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Centre for Education Development, the European Wergeland Centre in Norway, and a coalition of over 70 institutions, organisations and groups active in the field of education, human rights, youth and Internet.
Summary of project results
"Studies preceding the Council of Europe's “No Hate"" campaign prove that as many as 40% of young people experienced hate speech themselves, 70% declaring to have felt helpless in such situations. Only 22% of research subjects attended a training or workshop sessions on preventing discrimination or racism. This data proves the distinct need to support persons working with young people in the field of handling the hate speech phenomenon. The project purpose was to integrate hate speech prevention initiatives launched in Poland already, to empower them by providing appropriate educational tools, and to improve the competencies of persons working with young people in the field of preventing hate speech and violence. Action taken served to disseminate knowledge concerning hate speech prevention in the community of persons working with young people and in the entire society. The project involved a social campaign to identify and prevent hate and discrimination speech; consequently, the campaign theme became a fixed component of public discourse. The campaign coalition was subsequently joined by another several dozen institutions and organisations (non-governmental, public, local government) active in hate speech prevention. Just under 300 teachers were trained; approximately 2,500 young people and general public representatives were included in educational endeavours. Activities spanned a variety of age, cultural (i.a. national, ethnic, religious minorities and foreign nationals) and social (LGBTQ, the unemployed, the impoverished) groups throughout Poland. The project experience was summarised in a publication and disseminated during an open event attended by around 80 persons. Co-operation with the Norwegian partner allowed an exchange of experience relating to teaching staff training. Furthermore, the partner consulted project-related materials, such as the workshop agenda. Direct project beneficiaries included 300 teachers and 200 young people (training participants) and 80 attendants of the summary seminar."
Summary of bilateral results
The cooperation provided the project promoter with the opportunity to learn the experience of Norway in terms of providing workshops to teachers, especially workshops based on “Bookmarks” developed by the Council of Europe. Both organizations: project promoter and its partners are national focal points of the Council of Europe No Hate Campaign and the important part of cooperation was the exchange of experiences. Norwegian experience inspired some of the project pomoter’s activities (e.g. petition against hatred which was launched on the fourth anniversary of the tragedy in Utoya). The experience of the partner also contributed to the development of the education tools.