Place: European Youth Centre Strasbourg, France
Dates: 15th to 20th of April, 2024 (arrival day 14th and departure day 21st)
Participants: 35
Costs: 50 EUR participation fee. Travel, food and accommodation is covered.
Working language: English
Application deadline: 20th February 2024, 23:59 CET
BACKGROUND
The No Hate Speech Movement has combated hate speech and promoted human rights online and offline since 2013. In a time where the media is influenced by fake news and populism, hate speech becomes a tool to discriminate against vulnerable groups and challenge basic human rights. Internet governance is still a young process. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe warned about a human rights crisis involving both new and online media. It raises the question – are we doing enough to protect human rights online?
With Human Rights and Human Rights Education at its core, the No Hate Speech Network has addressed these issues, but the need for action has not lessened. How can young people take part and address these issues? How can we teach media literacy, critical thinking and contribute to the development of online activism competences to young people? The No Hate Speech Network provides the platform where these issues can be discussed and responded to, building on the lessons learned from the No Hate Speech Movement youth campaign.
ABOUT THE STUDY SESSION
This study session supports several of the Council of Europe’s programme priorities by gathering activists, partners and human rights educators involved or wishing to be involved in the works of fighting for human rights and democracy online. The session also supports three relevant long term focus areas of the strategic work of the No Hate Speech Network for 2022-2025: Education and awareness raising; Mobilisation; Solidarity and support. The area of Education and Awareness supports and promotes Human Rights Education and awareness-raising activities for actions to counter and prevent hate speech and the risks it poses to democracy and the well-being of young people as the primary aim of the session. It also aims to mobilise local, national, and international partners to prevent and counter all forms of hate speech and intolerance online and offline, with a specific focus on those working with minority groups. Additionally, it has a purpose to develop and promote actions expressing solidarity and support to people affected by hate speech and hate crimes.
AIM AND OBJECTIVES:
The aim of the study session is to empower young human rights activists to challenge hate speech online through human rights education.
The objectives are:
- To develop youth activists’ understanding of human rights education by learning about, through and for human rights;
- To develop the competences of young activists to challenge hate speech and stand up for democracy and human rights online;
- To develop the competences of young activists to apply the Human Rights Education methodology and resources, such as Bookmarks, We CAN, Compass, Compasito, etc;
- To create a community of activists to develop and implement a joint digital campaign promoting human rights and democracy online;
- To support sharing and partnership building between young activists from different countries and contexts;
- To contribute to the implementation of the NHSN strategy.
PARTICIPANTS’ PROFILE
The participants should be between 18 and 35 years old.
Other characteristics/abilities, participants need to have:
- Resident in one of the European Cultural Convention signatory countries (we also welcome the participants from the following countries not signatory to the European cultural convention, but who had an active NHSM campaign, namely: Kosovo, Tunisia, Morocco, Mexico and Canada);
- Be able to work in English;
- Have some experience with activism or human rights education (previous experience in combating hate speech online will be an advantage);
- Be open to act as multipliers to channel new skills, knowledge and contacts back to their own organisations and communities and engage in the follow-up activities;
- Experience/knowledge in planning and implementation of an online campaign is desirable, but not necessary. For example: experience with online content creation, copywriting, digital content tools, audio/video editing etc.
PREPARATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP
Participants should:
- Be ready to get involved in the implementation of the follow-up online campaign of the study session;
- Be ready for further engagement in the No Hate Speech Network and human rights education;
We encourage all people to apply, regardless of disability, gender, sexuality, gender identity, ethnicity, nationality, religion or other status.
Travel to and from home and the venue, as well as food and accommodation during the Study Session is covered by the Youth Department of the Council of Europe. There is a registration fee of 50 EUR that will be deducted from the travel reimbursement or collected during the first day of the event.
If you have any questions please contact: nohatespeechnet@gmail.com
Please fill in the application form at: bit.ly/NHSN24StS
The deadline for submitting the applications: 20th February 2024, 23:59 CET