Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech

Invites all Member States, organizations and agencies of the United Nations system, other international and regional organizations and civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, individuals and other relevant stakeholders to observe the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, as appropriate, with the cost covered exclusively by voluntary contributions;

Invites all Member States to further promote the culture of peace to help to ensure peace and sustainable development, including through the celebration of the international, regional and national days in this regard and by mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity;

Encourages Member States to consider, as and where appropriate, initiatives that identify areas for practical action in all sectors and levels of society for the promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, tolerance, understanding and cooperation;

Calls upon Member States to engage with all relevant stakeholders to promote the virtues of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, respect and acceptance of differences, tolerance, respect for diversity, peaceful coexistence and cohabitation, inclusion and respect for human rights, to reject the spread of hate speech, that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence;

Encourages all Member States and international organizations to generate public awareness, to enlighten the public about the dangers of intolerance and sectarian violence and to react with renewed commitment and action in support of the promotion of tolerance and human rights, and invites them to continue to pay attention to the importance of mutual cooperation, understanding and dialogue in ensuring the promotion of moderation and tolerance, and respect for human rights;

Requests the President of the General Assembly to convene an informal high-level meeting, on 18 June 2022, to mark the commemoration of the first International Day for Countering Hate Speech to contribute to spearheading political support to develop strategies to identify, address and counter hate speech at the national and global levels, taking into account, as appropriate, the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech;

Encourages Member States to focus on promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue, respect for diversity, and the elimination of discrimination based on religion or belief, while underlining the importance of education, culture, peace, tolerance, mutual understanding and human rights;

Invites Member States to support, in accordance with relevant international obligations, transparent and accessible systems to identify, track, collect data and analyse trends on hate speech, both in person and in digital contexts, at all national levels, as appropriate, to support effective responses;

Also invites Member States to further promote reconciliation to help ensure durable peace and sustainable development, and to encourage religious and community leaders to engage in intra- and interfaith dialogue to respond to incitement to violence, discrimination and hate speech;

Calls upon Member States, who have the primary responsibility to counter discrimination and hate speech, and all relevant actors, including political and religious leaders, to promote inclusion and unity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to speak out and take strong action against racism, xenophobia, hate speech, violence, discrimination, including on the basis of age, and stigmatization;

Invites all Member States, the United Nations system, regional and non-governmental organizations and other relevant stakeholders to increase their understanding of the Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes, also called the Fez Plan of Action, and the Plan of Action on Hate Speech, and other initiatives promoting tolerance and mutual understanding.