International Day for Countering Hate Speech
On June 18, we mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, proclaimed by the United Nations and supported by the European Commission’s Anti-Racism Action Plan 2020–2025. This day is not merely symbolic—it is an urgent call to action.
Hate speech harms us all. It undermines the foundations of democracy and human dignity. It spreads faster and more aggressively than ever, amplified by social media, and often goes unpunished. The consequences are social division, fear, and the normalization of violence.
Roma women organized in Drom Kotar Mestipen, know exactly what this means. Antigypsyism is one of the oldest and most normalized forms of hate in Europe. It goes far beyond slurs or stereotypes: it is expressed through exclusion from education, healthcare, housing, and decision-making spaces. But there is so many people fighting against this. In initiatives like RomaConnect, lead from grassroot Roma women, creating digital spaces where the voices, leadership, and stories of Roma women reshape public discourse and influence policies.
Fighting hate speech is not just about monitoring it—we need people who take a stand. As proved by the European project ALRECO, building Upstander discourse means taking an active and visible position alongside victims, dismantling falsehoods with evidence, and amplifying solidarity both online and offline. The tools developed by ALRECO help detect hate patterns on platforms like Twitter—but it is people, the upstanders, who have the power to change the tide.
June 18 is not just about protecting those most targeted by hate. It is about protecting democracy and social cohesion for all. When hate speech is left unchallenged, it opens the door to violence. Solidarity—when it is visible and collective—is our strongest antidote.
We need to protect the victims as well as protect the people defending them.
Coordinator of Drom Kotar Mestipen