Description
The project focuses on dealing with the hate speech on the local level - in localities where minorities live, being the object of prejudices, and where organisations acting against their manifestations operate. The project is directed on the one hand to the Romani community in Żywiec, and on the other to local organisations active in supporting equality and counteracting the hate speech. The project is supposed to strengthen both groups of its recipients. As a result of the project, Romani people from Żywiec will be empowered - as citizens of the town and its co-inhabitants together with the Polish majority, while organisations covered by the project will gain a greater potential to react effectively to the hate speech, using police and prosecutors, and to encourage others to react. Some of them will also present in their localities a multimedia exhibition on civil courage and equality-oriented language - the first such tool for equality education in Poland.
Summary of project results
"Hate speech is on the rise in Poland. Effective hate speech prevention is a major challenge for law enforcement agencies, public institutions, and civic society organisations - it requires co-ordinated activities. Local organisations working to prevent hate speech need to network. All-Polish activities aimed at system changes apart, local activities are of key importance - hence the need to continue activities fostering self-organisation of the Roma community in Żywiec. A study Batory Foundation study proved that the Roma are one of the three minority groups in Poland most exposed to hate speech. The purpose of the project was to network organisations acting locally to the end of drafting efficient and innovative hate speech prevention tools, and to strengthen the integration of the Roma community with Żywiec residents. An educational exhibition describing hate speech was organised. The Roma community resident at the Kabaty housing estate in Żywiec were empowered. Four strategic conventions were held, 10 non-governmental organisations in attendance. In a joint networking effort, an educational exhibition on hate speech prevention was designed, comprising a multimedia presentation, a computer game, and Living Library-inspired posters. The exhibition was shown at three locations. Ten good practice exchange sessions were organised, organisations learning from one another. Guidelines were drafted to support organisations intervening in hate speech cases. Local activities in Żywiec included integration workshops at schools attended by Roma children, and workshops at the social housing estate. A workshop targeting teachers was delivered by the Icelandic partner. The partner organisation was responsible for delivering knowledge on how to work with young people threatened with social exclusion. Beneficiaries included representatives of 10 non-governmental organisation representatives - network session participants, 200 educational exhibition visitors, and 15 Roma children."
Summary of bilateral results
The Foundation focused on organizing local activities aimed at the integration of the Roma minority with the inhabitants of Zywiec . A contact with four NGOs and one local government institution in Norway was established. They all were involved in combating discrimination in their local environment. Representatives of the Foundation took part in a study visit to Oslo, where they learnt about new methods and tools used in anti-discrimination activities and – in the end – they invited to Romers Rettigheter (Roma rights) to submit a joint project proposal, however the partnership was not established. Foundation submitted an application without a partner from Norway and received a grant for the project aimed at Roma community in Zywiec.