Description
Hate speech is a frequent feature of public discourse, often accepted and unsanctioned. The project addresses this problem by establishing a sustainable independent body for public response to hate speech. The objectives are less hate speech in Slovenia, empowerment of vulnerable groups, encouragement of active citizenship, and inclusion of the term 'hate speech' in legislation. Specifically, the project will set up an independent and sustainable system for regular public reaction to the problem of hate speech and enable cross-sectoral partnership, especially with state institutions. In effect, increased activation in terms of rejecting hate speech is expected and all the key actors in the field of prevention from and fight against hate speech are expected to benefit: CSOs, marginalized/vulnerable social groups, students, university lecturers, journalists, editors, online fora moderators, politicians, institutional representatives, and wider public. The project unites the work and expertise of 4 partners in the field of hate speech prevention, who represent the key stakeholders.
Summary of project results
The project was needed because hate speech is a frequent feature of public discourse, often accepted and unsanctioned. The project has addressed this problem by establishing a sustainable independent body for public response to hate speech, so-called Anti-Hate Speech Council. The main objective of striving for less hate speech in Slovenia was powerfully addressed, yet due to the refugee crisis and the subsequent upsurge in xenophobia and hate speech, this main objective was impossible to reach under the present circumstances. Nevertheless, it was immensely important to have – at such a point in time – a public independent body that could and did react promptly to hate speech. Thus, the project was overwhelmingly successful in its set objective to open up the public debate about hate speech in Slovenia, having established previously non-existent avenues of cooperation among key stakeholders working against hate speech. Objectives such as empowerment of vulnerable groups, encouragement of active citizenship, and inclusion of the term 'hate speech' in legislation were all achieved. The project set up an independent and sustainable system for regular public reaction to the problem of hate speech, Anti-Hate Speech Council. The Council prepared and publically presented 27 responses to various cases of hate speech in Slovenia (e.g. racist, nationalist, sexist; online, graffiti, etc.). It spurred substantive, previously unseen public debate and media attention. One press conference was organised, 3 public roundtables about hate speech in various locations across Slovenia, 4 local trainings on online hate speech were organised for CSOs, enabling over 40 people to gain new knowledge on hate speech prevention that they will be able to disseminate further in their work, over 120 students were actively involved in lectures on hate speech, 1 national (and 4 local) Coalition Against Hate Speech was formed that works as a platform of connected individuals and organisations that strive to counter hate speech and educate about human rights and open society. Three important documents were produced: the Action Plan for Countering Hate Speech, the first ever State of the Art on Hate Speech in Slovenia, and a Memorandum of Preventing Hate Speech.
Summary of bilateral results