Numerous reports in recent years from international organisations have documented worrying levels of harassment and violence towards minorities in Europe.
The aim of the project 'Coalition against hate violence in Hungary' run by the Ebony African Organization is to provide civil society organizations that are in direct contact with victims of hate violence the adequate support in handling such cases, and to work to initiate informal coalition and cooperation of organizations representing and supporting minority and migrant groups.
“Hate crimes strike at the heart of EU commitments to democracy and the fundamental rights of equality and non-discrimination,” said Norway's ambassador to Hungary, Tove Skarstein, at the project opening recently. She underlined that it is important to work together to raise awareness of hate crime and the way it undermines democracy, while also focusing on the promotion of tolerance and multicultural understanding.
The project will strive to take an active role in enabling participating organizations to take measures together for a more effective mechanism in the prevention of hate violence, awareness raising, victim support, monitoring and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The project is supported by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the NGO programme in Hungary.
“It makes me proud that we are able to support projects such as this. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein contribute €13,5 million to civil society in Hungary in order to assist initiatives such as this, in good cooperation with the local authorities and state institutions,” said ambassador Skarstein.
Other activities to counter hate speech is also funded under the NGO programme in Hungary. For example, the Fund Operator of the NGO programme held two youth blogger trainings for around 50 people on hate speech in December and January. Read more.
Read more about the 'Coalition against hate violence in Hungary' project