PRESS RELEASE

The project: Combating hate speech on-line - “Let the words be windows, not walls” was successfully realized by the Centre for Human Rights “AMOS” – Bitola in the period from 15.10. 2012 to 15.12.2012. It was supported and funded by European Youth Foundation.

Participants were the group of 34 young people, from 15 to 30 years old, with different backgrounds. It was consisted of students from secondary schools, students from faculties, young Macedonian people as well as from all minorities who live in Bitola (Roma, Albanians, Serbs, Turks, and Russian), young people from youth branches of political parties, young people with special needs and young people from local NGO’s. Our aim was to raise the awareness of young people and combating the hate speech online by training them to act against racism and discrimination in their expressions online, through: Getting knowledge about human rights and human rights education related with hate speech online; Capacity building and networking of the young people with different backgrounds; Creating of video clips with messages, brochure and CD related with combating hate speech online and dissemination of the brochures and CD’s.

We have realized 4 training workshops with following themes: human rights and human rights education, discrimination, prejudices and stereotypes, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, racism, sexism, disability, media and Internet, gender equality, human security, peace and violence and participation in democratic citizenship; New-age media (Internet, social groups, blogs), hate speech - definitions, forms and examples, instruments and mechanisms for protection the human rights and tools and instruments for combating hate speech online; Preparing and promoting of personal action plans; Establishing of network for combating hate speech online, creating a Facebook group, follow-up activities during 2013, promotion of the video clips with messages and promotion of brochure, CD/DVD with information materials and video clips and a song created by participants. We produced a brochure, DVD with information and educational materials and pictures/videos from the entire project, a song and video clips with messages. We have also created Facebook group - Combating hate speech online, to stay connected and share our works.

As follow up, each participant or group of participants should implement his/her/their personal action plan among their schoolmates, colleagues and friends in their schools or organizations. They expect from us to lead, support and help them, and coordinating their activities in many different ways. Participants will share information and examples of hate speech online and the ways for combating it. We are going to use the established network of peer educators for further educations and improving the participation of young people in activities related to reducing discrimination and violation of disadvantaged groups in our community. In our opinion, young people in Macedonia need adequate information, skills, motivation and inspiration to undertake the action and to combat with hate speech online. After presentation the results of our project, we expect continued cooperation and support with the Council of Bitola, many youth NGOs from Bitola and the region, as well as to be included in the national campaign committee for realization of the national campaign.

The team: Sasho Kochankovski, PhD - coordinator and senior trainer; Biljana Temelkova- Bejkovska - assistant coordinator and senior trainer; Dr. Omer Sulejman - trainer and expert; M-r Sci. Dr. Liljana Kochankovska-trainer and expert; Borce Bejkovski - trainer and expert and Goran Velichkovski - journalist - expert.