Unboxing Hate Speech

European Impulses for Respect and Solidarity on the Web

Digital Conference – 18 February 2021

Hatred, exclusion and verbal violence pose a growing threat to our democracies. Hate speech violates human rights, corrodes solidarity and the culture of debate and drives people out of the public arena.

What must European political institutions and civil society do to actively combat online hate speech while also defending freedom of speech? What part does the Council of Europe play as a guardian of human rights and democracy? What experience has been gained to date in the individual member states? What work is being done by European civil society organisations?

We will unpack hate speech and discuss counter-strategies with politicians, researchers and representatives of tech businesses and civil society – and with you. Join us on 18 February 2021 at the online conference Unboxing Hate Speech: European Impulses for Respect and Solidarity on the Web.

The event is jointly organised by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, the German Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection.

Questions or comments?


Speakers

Julia Bläsius

Julia Bläsius

Policy adviser on gender & family policy, FES more
Anne Haller

Anne Haller

Head of KommunalAkademie NRW, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung more
Sina Laubenstein

Sina Laubenstein

Project manager, No Hate Speech Movement, Neue Deutsche Medienmacher*innen more
Svetlana Zakharova

Svetlana Zakharova

Board member of the Russian LGBT Network, feminist and LGBTQI activist more
Karoline Edtstadler

Karoline Edtstadler

Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution, Austria more
Hanna Gleiß

Hanna Gleiß

DAS NETTZ more
Tanja Hille

Tanja Hille

Adviser and moderator more
Tímea Junghaus

Tímea Junghaus

Director of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture more
Michael Roth

Michael Roth

Minister for Europe at the Federal Foreign Office, Special Representative of the Federal Government for the German Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe more
Snežana Samardžić-Marković

Snežana Samardžić-Marković

Director General, DG Democracy, Council of Europe more
Juliana Santos Wahlgren

Juliana Santos Wahlgren

Senior policy officer, European Network Against Racism (ENAR more
Martin Schulz

Martin Schulz

President of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung more
Gilda Sahebi

Gilda Sahebi

Project leader at No Hate Speech Movement, Neue Deutsche Medienmacher*innen more
Jeroen Schokkenbroek

Jeroen Schokkenbroek

Director of Anti-Discrimination in the Directorate General of Democracy, Council of Europe more
Tal Arditi

Tal Arditi

Israeli guitar player more
Nika Bakhsoliani

Nika Bakhsoliani

Expert on youth policy and human rights education more
Louisa Dellert

Louisa Dellert

Influencer and businessperson more
Stefanie Fächner

Stefanie Fächner

Media literacy officer at the State Media Authority of Rhineland-Palatinate more
Elina Gustavsson

Elina Gustavsson

Local social democratic politician in Karlskrona, Sweden more
Christoph Hebbecker

Christoph Hebbecker

Prosecutor at the Central Cybercrime Department of North Rhine-Westphalia more
Hannes Ley

Hannes Ley

Business consultant, launched the award-winning Facebook group #ichbinhier (#iamhere) more
Julia Mozer

Julia Mozer

Policy Officer on hate speech and online harms more
Sabrina N'Diaye

Sabrina N'Diaye

Franco-German journalist and moderator more
Anne Pütz

Anne Pütz

Teaching yoga for many years more
Simone Rafael

Simone Rafael

Journalist and editor-in-chief of www.belltower.news, Amadeu Antonio Stiftung more
Peter Niedermüller

Peter Niedermüller

Mayor of the 7th district of Budapest, Hungary more
Tjark Bartels

Tjark Bartels

Former district administrator and mayor, executive coach for the civil service and other organisations more

Unboxing Hate Speech: Open Workspace

We all know the upsides of the internet – and the downsides. Far too often, we encounter people who are using it to spread hatred. We invite you to discuss and try out practical defences together with members of the online community who have themselves experienced hate speech. What are the “dos and don’ts” to keep in mind – from counter-speech to legal action?

Be a part of it!

Click here for further information on the programme


Programme

Working session and networking event with European civil society representatives

(Closed event)

Democratic civil society across Europe shows that hate speech has no place in our societies. From counselling for victims to political education, from youth outreach and human rights work to organised counter-speech online, civil society has a wide range of approaches.

A working session and networking event will allow civil society representatives from the member states of the Council of Europe to share their experiences fighting hate speech, discuss common challenges and best practices and develop recommendations for European policy makers.

The public conference on 18 February 2021 will build on the results of their discussions.

Moderation: Hanna Gleiß, DAS NETTZ, and Simone Rafael, Amadeu Antonio Foundation

Welcome!

Opening speech by Martin Schulz, head of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Unboxing Hate Speech on the Web
A priority of Germany’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Chaired discussion with

Christine Lambrecht, Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection

and

Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs

Moderation: Sabrina N’Diaye, TV presenter and journalist

Towards democratic coexistence
How the Council of Europe is fighting hate speech

Keynote speech by Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe

United against hate speech
Challenges and counter-strategies

Panel discussion with:

Karoline Edtstadler, Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution, Austria

Snežana Samardžić-Marković, Director General of DG Democracy, Council of Europe

Markus Reinisch, Vice President Public Policy Europe, Middle East and Africa, Facebook

Julia Mozer, Communication and Policy Officer, CEJI - A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe

Moderation: Sabrina N’Diaye, TV presenter and journalist

Lunch break

What can we do to fight hate speech?

Open Workspace

VIA LIVESTREAM

More details on the content of the open workspace

Hands up!
How do you personally
experience hate speech?
Discussion with Louisa Dellert, influencer and businessperson

Hands down (on the keyboard)!
The basics of counter-speech.
What are the “dos and don’ts” to remember? Try it out with us!
First steps towards a strong counter-speech post with Hannes Ley, #ichbinhier, and Louisa Dellert

When counter-speech no longer works – criminal justice aspects of hate speech and the path to taking legal action
Discussion with Dr. Christoph Hebbecker, Cologne public prosecution office, North Rhine Westphalia cybercrime office (ZAC NRW)

What have we learnt? Where is there a need for action?
Discussion with Louisa Dellert, Hannes Ley and Dr. Christoph Hebbecker
Moderation: Tanja Hille, consultant and presenter

 

Musical interlude
 

Workspaces

For a specialist audience, by invitation only. The workspaces will be held in English without interpretation (with the exception of workspace 1).

More details on the content of the workspaces

Workspace 1: Hate speech in political communication (with simultaneous interpretation German-English/English-German)

With Karamba Diaby, Member of the German Bundestag, and Carl Miller, Research Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media, Demos, United Kingdom
Moderation: Sina Laubenstein, Project Lead with the No Hate Speech Movement, New German Media Professionals (NDM)

Workspace 2: Hate speech as youth (anti)culture?

With Emilija Gagrčin, member of the Council of Europe’s Advisory Council on Youth and the European Federation for Intercultural Learning, and Nika Bakhsoliani, Human Rights Education Youth Network
Moderation: Stefanie Fächner, State Media Authority of Rhineland-Palatinate

Workspace 3: Hate speech and local involvement

With Tjark Bartels, former district chief executive, district Hameln-Pyrmont, and Péter Niedermüller, Mayor of Erzsébetváros district in Budapest, Hungary
Moderation: Anne Haller, head of the political education centre KommunalAkademie NRW, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Workspace 4: Hate speech against marginalised groups

With Tímea Junghaus, Director of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC), and Juliana Santos Wahlgren, Senior Advocacy Officer, European Network Against Racism
Moderation: Gilda Sahebi, project leader with the No Hate Speech Movement, New German Media Professionals (NDM)

Workspace 5: Antifeminist hate speech online

With Simone Rafael, Amadeu Antonio Foundation, Germany, and Svetlana Zakharova, feminist and board member at the organisation Russian LGBT Network
Moderation: Julia Bläsius, gender politics expert, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Break (with a brief yoga session by Anne Pütz for anyone who needs a little relaxation)

Wrap-up
What are the next steps at European level?

Flashlights: what shall we take with us?

Rita Hagl-Kehl, Parliamentary State Secretary for Justice and Consumer Protection

Jeroen Schokkenbroek, Director of Anti-Discrimination in the Directorate General of Democracy, Council of Europe

Web hall meeting with

Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the Federal Foreign Office and Special Representative of the Federal Government for the German Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Moderation: Sabrina N’Diaye, TV presenter and journalist

End of conference

There will be musical acts by Tal Arditi.


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