Back “Block the Hatred. Share the Love!” campaign goes local

“Block the Hatred. Share the Love!” campaign goes local

The joint campaign of the European Union and the Council of Europe Horizontal Facility II programme, “Block the Hatred. Share the Love!”, dedicated to the fight against hate speech and hate crimes in the region is being now extended locally to reach people of the Western Balkans. The campaign was launched in Pristina, Podgorica and Skopje through public events organised with the participation of high level representatives from public authorities, civil society, international organisations and prominent public figures who will support this campaign as ‘No-Hate Speech’ Ambassadors.

The launch of the campaign in Kosovo* in October, organised in the National Library “Pjetër Bogdani” gathered important public figures such as the Prime Minister Albin Kurti, European Union Special Representative, Ambassador Tomáš Szunyog and Director of the Office of the Directorate General of Programmes of the Council of Europe Verena Taylor who shared important messages in support of an equal society without discrimination.

In Podgorica, the campaign was launched in December in a public event with the participation of the Prime Minister, Zdravko Krivokapic, Minister of Public Administration, Media and Digital Society, Tamara Srzentic, Ambassador of the European Union in Montenegro, Oana Cristina Popa, and director of Directorate of Anti-Discrimination of the Council of Europe, Jeroen Schokkenbroek. The role that every citizen has in responding to hate speech with positive language and mutual respect was highlighted in the event, also by prominent No Hate Speech Ambassadors - tennis player Danka Kovinic, the Olympic Champion in high jump Marija Vukovic, opera singer Tamara Radjenovic and actress Dubravka Drakic.

The local campaign was launched on 20 December in Skopje in a public event supported by Elizabeta Gjorgievska, First Lady of the Republic of North Macedonia  who emphasised the efforts that every individual in public institutions in North Macedonia, from top decision makers down to civil servants, should be equally committed to combat any form of discrimination that can generate tensions in society. Important messages were shared also by Freek Janmaat, Head of Operations for economic development, rule of law, public administration in the European Union Delegation in Skopje, Filip Popovski, Secretary General in the Football Federation of North Macedonia and Katalin Tamus, Head of Programmes in the Council of Europe Programme Office in Skopje.

The local campaigns will be extended online through the social media dedicated channels, but also in radio-TV appearances, public activities and social initiatives involving prominent public figures, institutions and activists in personal storytelling, testimonies and exchange of good practices related to the promotion of diversity and equality in the region.

The launching of the campaigns in the remaining Western Balkans Beneficiaries will take place in the first half of 2022.

 

 

 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

Western Balkans October - December 2021
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Hate speech is on the rise across Europe, jeopardising social cohesion and putting human rights under threat. The Western Balkans region is not immune to hate speech that particularly targets individuals from vulnerable groups, who have already been affected by stigma and discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic. To counter this phenomenon in the region, the European Union and the Council of Europe have launched a campaign for the Western Balkans – “Block the hatred. Share the love.”

The campaign implemented under the action on “Promotion of diversity and equality in the Western Balkans” will take place entirely online, through dedicated FacebookInstagram and Twitter pages: “Block the hatred. Share the love.”, and will be ongoing in the years to come.

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