“Action taken against hate speech needs to start with prevention – by educating people in each local community from an early age in a spirit of democratic values, tolerance and mutual respect. As a local politician, this is the main message that I would like to convey on the occasion of the 2024 International Day for Countering Hate Speech that we are celebrating today”, underlined Wilma Delissen (Netherlands, ILDG), Mayor of Peel en Maas and Congress Rapporteur on “Hate speech and fake news”, speaking at the Council of Europe conference devoted to the No Hate Speech Week, in Strasbourg, France, on 18 June 2024.

“We all have already closely witnessed hate speech, which incites other forms of violence and is often the first step on a path towards more violent behaviour,” continued Ms Delissen, pointing to the challenging situations faced by local communities.

The Congress Rapporteur reminded the audience of the crucial role played by the media, not only in disseminating but also in countering hate speech, as watchdogs of democracy and guardians of community cohesion, as was highlighted by the Congress in its 2023 report.

“The Congress already proposed concrete action in its 2022 report on “Hate speech and fake news” and intends to pursue its work in this area, in particular by fostering political dialogue at various levels to maintain citizens’ trust in and commitment to local and regional political life,” she concluded.

No Hate Speech Week 2024 - Combating Hate Speech (coe.int)