The first workshop day of the 2-day online workshop addressing the issues of antisemitic and anti-Muslim racist hate speech, co-organized by ECCAR and the Facing Facts project (CEJI), was successfully concluded on May 14th, 2024.
Combating racism and hate speech on local levels means promoting equality and inclusion by preventing and eliminating distinctions propagated by anti-democratic, antisemitic and racist ideologies in society. Thus, as Danijel Cubelic, ECCAR Vice President, commented at the beginning of the workshop, cities must adopt clear, structured approaches throughout all areas of municipal administration to address hate speech effectively. ECCAR also encourages its member cities to build their capacity to identify hate speech and its manifestations.
The workshop is designed to enhance participants' understanding of and ability to apply key concepts such as (unlawful and "lawful") hate speech, free speech, unconscious bias, fundamental characteristics, and content moderation in their daily work and practices.
Over 70 city representatives and their partners joined the first workshop. During the first workshop day, the participants reviewed, together with the Facing Facts team as the workshop facilitators, the primary elements, definitions, and unique challenges of online hate speech, actors involved in hate speech response systems at the local level, and the "pyramid of hate." They also examined the historical and current manifestations of antisemitism and the IHRA definition of it.
The workshop will continue for the second part of May 28th with a focus on anti-Muslim racist hate speech as well as local case studies applying the learning outcomes from both days.
