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Denver – The Moroccan delegation has successfully spearheaded a campaign to commemorate a day each year to mark global efforts to combat hateful speech.
All 193 members of the UN’s General Assembly voted in favor of the resolution after Morocco’s Ambassador to the UN Omar Hilale presented the idea.
In his speech, Hilale emphasized Morocco’s commitment to the pillars of the UN’s organizational framework, saying: “Exacerbation of hate speech goes against the values of peace, tolerance, cohabitation and living together.”
The Moroccan diplomat also commented that King Mohammed VI was aware of the dangers “posed by hate speech,” as the King continued to push for more global unity.
King Mohammed VI has long pushed for initiatives to address hate speech in Morocco. In a 2018 public address, the King championed for “principles of coexistence, acceptance of plurality and otherness,” as part of his vision of the necessary steps to consolidate “security, growth, and prosperity” throughout the world.
Morocco has also previously pushed other international anti-hate initiatives via the United Nations. Notable examples include the “Rabat Plan of Action”, which was implemented in 2013, and the “Fez Process,” which was implemented in 2015 and focused on the role of religious leaders in combating hateful rhetoric.
In addition to establishing an International Day Against Hate Speech, the 2021 resolution will also call on the international powers of the UN to effect change in the global status quo.
The resolution includes a special UN session on June 18, 2022 in order to commemorate this historic date.
It also calls for more transparency in the collection of hate speech trends within the borders of each member state of the UN, according to a press release. This will enable the sharing of relevant data, and better monitoring and analysis of growing trends in discrimination and hate speech worldwide.
Also notable is that the resolution encourages world governments to promote both interreligious and intercultural dialogues between differing ethnic and religious groups in their respective countries. Governments showcased their adherence to the project by agreeing to place “particular emphasis on the importance of reconciliation as a vector of peace and sustainable development.”
