Marija Pejčinović Burić has told politicians, civil society actors, and tech industry representatives that hate speech drains people’s confidence, self-belief and capacity to contribute to society on an equal basis.

In an address to delegates, the Secretary General highlighted the Council of Europe’s role as custodian of human rights and democracy in fighting an insidious phenomenon that violates human rights, corrodes solidarity and the culture of debate.

Read the Secretary General’s speech here.

The high-level conference was jointly organised by the German Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection, and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, as part of Germany’s presidency of the Committee of Ministers.