The Council of Europe has launched its No Hate Campaign based on research that suggests that over 40 per cent of young people have personally experienced hate speech and 70 per cent of them feel helpless in such situations. Only 22 per cent of respondents have attended anti-discrimination or anti-racism workshops or training. Yet, young people do not feel online speech hate should be penalised.
The goal of the project was to integrate existing Polish initiatives against hate speech and strengthen them building on European experience.
A social campaign was conducted to build skills to identify and counter hate speech and discrimination. With videos, graphics, street events, conferences etc. the topic has been mainstreamed. The campaign coalition was joined by about 50 anti-hate speech non-governmental, public and local government institutions and organisations; about 300 activists received training. Online and offline activities included the Inter@ction Zone Activist Congress and a Temples Night in Warsaw and both attracted several thousand individuals. Activities targeted different age and cultural groups such as national, ethnic, religious minorities, foreigners) and social groups including LGBTQ, unemployed and poor individuals) in different locations in Poland.
The beznienawisci.pl website offers detailed information about hate speech; it was viewed more than 520 000 times in 2015). Almost 30 textbooks and 9 lesson scenarios were promoted; forty videos were developed and were viewed over 9,000 times on YouTube.
The project targeted youth aged 16-25, non-governmental organisations, and teachers.
The partnership with the Nasjonal kampanjekomitee for Europarådets No Hate Speech from Norway helped share campaigning experience. As a result, an event was organised to discuss the need to react to hate speech on 22 July, 2014 in Warsaw, on the third anniversary of the Utoya massacre.