(Part 2) Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I call to order the second meeting of the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech. I hope that you've had an excellent lunch break and that we will be able to resume ahead with the list of speakers. I have the pleasure now of giving the floor to Ambassador Yojna Patel, Deputy Permanent Representative of India. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. We meet at a difficult moment in history. Discriminatory rhetoric based on gender, race, ethnicity, or religious identity is corroding the bonds that hold societies together, and in some instances, stoking violent conflict. My delegation is acutely aware of this issue. Indians across the world increasingly face hateful rhetoric online and offline for the color of our skin, our faith, our dress, our food, and our status as migrant workers. The problem is compounded by technology. The flood of information makes it hard for citizens to distinguish real from fabricated content, a gap bad actors exploit to sow chaos. Social media's engagement-driven algorithms amplify negative content while anonymity and the absence of meaningful consequences emboldens individuals. In its most extreme form, online hostility escalates into incitement, violence, and civil unrest, even as it is skillfully used to radicalize impressionable youth towards extremism and terrorism. Combating hate speech is thus vital in today's hyper-connected world. Chair, while inter-religious dialogue and tolerance matter, hate speech goes beyond religion and calls for a change in attitude and understanding. We believe this requires a multi-pronged approach. This must begin first with education. Teaching children to value their own heritage while respecting others, to engage respectfully in dialogue lays the early foundations for mutual understanding. Secondly, clear and stringent laws that protect free speech while punishing incitement are essential. India's criminal laws precisely target those who stir hostility between communities or harm religious sensibilities and forbid circulating material designed to inflame communal tensions. Third, the greatest bulwark against intolerance is the checks and balances of democracy. A pluralistic society where every religion is guaranteed freedom and respect is essential for social harmony. Fourth, preventing the weaponization of digital technology is critical to combating hate speech. India's IT laws obligate social media companies to maintain robust content policies appoint grievance officers, respond to complaints within a day, resolve them within strict timelines, and trace the originators of inflammatory content. Chair, India's centuries-long experience of diverse faiths, languages, and cultures living side by side embodies a culture of tolerance and respect. We remain committed to promoting intercultural and inter-religious cooperation across all sections of society to effectively combat hate speech. Thank you.

I thank Ms. Yojna Patel, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative of India. I now have the pleasure to give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Sun Lei, Deputy Permanent Representative of China.

China.

The speaking order has changed.

Ah, so sorry.

So, I will now give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Christian. Apologies, says the speaker.

Russian. Russian, and then China here.

Okay.

So I give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Maria Zabolotskaya, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Russian Federation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

At the outset, we'd like to express our gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco and to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations for convening this meeting. International law prohibits incitement to discrimination. It does this first and foremost in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. It deems that they cannot be justified by referring to the protection of the freedom of opinion or expression. The Russian Federation annually submits a resolution on countering the glorification of Nazism, which reaffirms this specific approach. Russia supports all of the UN's efforts aimed at combating hate speech and promoting intercultural and interreligious dialogue, including relevant resolutions. Against this backdrop, what's particularly important is resolution on the International Day commemorating the victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief. The threat of hate speech is not limited to the fact that it is morally unacceptable. Such rhetoric is also a starting point for prosecution, social isolation and, ultimately, violence directed against entire segments of the population. We read with a keen interest the Secretary-General's report on promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation for peace, which covers a host of important issues. and problems such as manifestations of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. Yet the report says nothing about the fact that at present there is a very serious problem regarding the crackdown on Orthodox Christianity in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the canonical Orthodox Church, is being persecuted. It's a tragedy of epic proportions, and yet it has not received the due attention of the international community. That's why we call on everyone to read the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federation report on the unlawful action by the Kyiv regime targeting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, its clergy, and its parishioners. The reference to this report will be embedded into my statement. High-ranking officials in Kyiv only ever refer to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church as the enemy church. As a consequence, What's become a harsh reality is raids to take over places of worship, criminal prosecution of the clergy, as well as violence against both the clergy and parishioners. Let me give you just two recent examples. Today, the Economic Court of the Chikaske. region of Ukraine is considering a case regarding the transfer of the property of the Cherkassky Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, including of the Mykhailovskyi Cathedral. And just yesterday, we received reports about the fact that the draft office officials in the Kirovogradsky region, in fact, they detained officials of the Aleksandrovskyi diocese of the Canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, including Alexey Mykytchenko, as he was on his way to a liturgy. We cannot ignore such cases. Mr. Chairman, we call on everyone to not wait for hate to turn into violence. We must counter ideologies and practices which create fertile ground therefore. I thank you.

I thank Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation, and I now give the floor to His Excellency Michael Christian Gort, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada.

President, Canada is honoured to participate in this global conference dedicated to promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue, as well as tolerance. As a diverse and pluralistic society, Canada believes diversity to be one of its greatest strengths. However, diversity alone does not guarantee inclusion. Social cohesion must be fueled by mutual respect, comprehension, and dialogue between peoples of different confessions, cultures, and origins. We meet at a time when polarization, intolerance, discrimination, and hatred are on the rise in numerous societies, largely due to disinformation and misinformation spread by algorithms on various technology platforms. Current conflicts have also increased hostilities towards religious and minority communities.

When people are made to feel that they do not belong because of their faith, culture, or identity, the harm extends beyond individuals. It weakens the social cohesion that binds our communities together. Canada has experienced these challenges firsthand. Attacks targeting places of worship and schools, along with rising incidents motivated by hate and intolerance, remind us that vigilance and action remain essential. Canada is committed to building a safer and more inclusive society by combating all forms of racism, discrimination, and intolerance, including Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and other forms of hate. This work is supported by initiatives such as Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy and Action Plan on Combating Hate. We have also established a new advisory council on rights, equality, and inclusion, bringing together experts and community leaders to strengthen social cohesion, promote inclusion, and help counter racism and hate. Its work is grounded in a simple belief: far more unites us than divides us. International cooperation is equally important. Human Rights Council resolution 16/18 remains a valuable framework for promoting respect, protecting freedom of religion or belief, and addressing intolerance through practical action. Excellencies, colleagues, hate and racism have no place in our societies. Promoting tolerance means building inclusive and resilient societies where every person feels respected, valued, and able to contribute fully. Canada stands ready to work with member states, faith leaders, civil societies, and communities around the world to advance dialogue, strengthen social cohesion, and counter hate in all its forms. Together, we must choose coexistence over division, dignity over discrimination, and inclusion over hate. I thank you.

I thank the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada, and I now give the floor to His Excellency Mohamed Fathid Ahmed Idris, Ambassador and Permanent Observer of the African Union.

Thank you very much, my dear brother, Ambassador Omar, and through you, our appreciation to the King of Mufaro and His Excellency Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nasser Khouri, for inaugurating this important meeting, and our appreciation to His Excellency, High Representative, Under-Secretary Miguel Martinos, and the Alliance of Civilizations, and the Under-Secretary, Shaluka Bayani, Special Advisor for Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide, and to the Office of Genocide Prevention and Responsibility to Protect. Actually, our appreciation for convening this conference, and I acknowledge Morocco's stewardship of this agenda from Resolution 73/328 to the first forum, the first the Alliance held on African soil. I speak for the African Union Commission, and I want to emphasize that dialogue and tolerance run through our founding texts. The African Charter on Human and People's Rights guarantees freedom of consciousness and religion and pairs free expression with an individual duty of tolerance and respect for fellow beings without discrimination. The Charter of the African Cultural Renaissance makes dialogue among cultures continental policy. Agenda 2063 promises an Africa of shared values and a common heritage. Practice came before texts. Religious shrines share the same streets in most African sites and cities. And the idea that many of our societies call Ubuntu, that a person is a person through other person, is tolerance lived as daily habit. The Union African Union works to keep it so. Our citizens and diaspora directorate convenes African dialogue religious leaders in a continental interfaith dialogue platform. And our mediators draw routinely on religious and traditional authority in reconciliation work. Where dialogue fails, we see the cost easily and early. The Peace and Security Council holds an open session each year on preventing the ideology of genocide and the hate crimes. And our early warning system reads hate speeches as a risk factor and indicator of atrocity crimes. In Luanda, three weeks ago, Our Assembly adopted a decision and action plan placing prevention at the center of the Union's peace and security work. Countering hate speech is prevention practiced early. Terrorism has no religion, and African faith communities, among its principal victims, remain among the most credible voices against it. The chairperson of the African Commission has condemned in plain terms xenophobic violence against African migrants. The hatred follows our people abroad. The Union treats its diaspora as a sixth region, and the second International Decade for People of African Descent belongs on this conference's agenda. Two requests. Take the Secretary-General's strategy and the plan of action on hate speech to country level in partnership with the African Union and our regional economic communities, and count Africa's interfaith networks among its instruments. And second, close the digital gap. Content moderation in African languages remains thin. while algorithmic amplification rewards outrage. And the outcome of today should say so. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, tolerance in the African Union's practice is an instrument of peace, and dialogue is how we keep it in working together. Thank you very much.

I thank the Ambassador and Permanent Observer of the African Union, His Excellency Mohamed Fathi Ahmed Idris, for his statement. And I now have the pleasure of giving the floor to Ms. Miriam Fariva Naim, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Maldives.

Thank you, Ambassador. Apathy and hate are the counterthesis of unity and cooperation. and hate speech is spreading at an alarming speed and scale. Technologies that have enabled instantaneous connections between cultures have also amplified hateful narratives that target people based on faith, race, or culture. These ideas cross borders in seconds, deepening divisions within and between societies, and creating excuses for violence and atrocity crimes. Every person should be free to shape their own future. Hate speech shrinks that freedom by turning identity into a reason for exclusion. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue is an instrument of prevention. It helps communities to challenge falsehoods, resolve differences peacefully, and build the kind of trust supported by international human rights law on which resilient societies depend. Education must also remain central. Our schools should foster respect, empathy, critical thinking, and digital literacy from an early age. Young people must be equipped to recognize misinformation and to respond to hatred with knowledge. Technology companies and social media platforms carry greater responsibility. They must prevent their services from being exploited to spread incitement and hatred. The Maldives welcomes the International Day to Combat Islamophobia and the appointment of the United Nations Special Envoy. We also welcome work towards a United Nations plan of action. These initiatives must lead to measurable action. Attempts to associate Islam or any religion with terrorism and violent extremism are false and dangerous. Such narratives fuel discrimination, attacks against individuals and places of worship, and, as in the case of the Palestinian people, the dehumanization of an entire population, culminating in the current genocide. Governments, community leaders, educators, and civil society must work together in our response to counter hate speech. The Maldives reaffirms its commitment to confronting all forms of religious hatred and discrimination. Let us replace suspicion with understanding, division with dialogue, and hatred with respect for our common humanity. In doing so, we defend the freedom of every person and community to shape their own future. I thank you.

I thank the representative of the Maldives. I have the pleasure now of giving the floor to His Excellency Mr. Sun Li, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of China. You have the floor, Ambassador.

Your Excellencies, Ambassador Hilali, Special Bihani, High Representative Moratino. Against the backdrop of a complex and turbulent international landscape, promoting inter-religious and intercultural dialogue and preventing and combating hate speech is a shared responsibility of the international community. We must uphold equality, mutual respect and mutual trust, promote shared human values, and jointly reject narrow-minded notions and erroneous ideas such as civilizational superiority and clash of civilizations. We must advocate for openness, inclusiveness, and mutual learning, eliminate prejudice and misunderstanding through dialogue, deepen solidarity and cooperation. and resolutely oppose all acts of discrimination, prejudice, and violence targeting specific ethnic groups, races, or religions. We must promote shared development and social inclusion, strengthen the pillars of development, accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and focus on resolving pressing issues such as social division and political polarization. While safeguarding the freedom of expression, we must counter disinformation and hate speech, both online and offline, in accordance with the law. Colleagues, for over 5,000 years, the Chinese nation has consistently pursued and carried forward the ideals of peace, amity and harmony. China has translated the civilizational wisdom of harmony and coexistence into a global governance approach, upholding a vision of civilization based on equality, mutual learning and dialogue, and inclusiveness, actively implementing the global civilization initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping, establishing and commemorating the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations at the UN, and promoting exchanges and dialogue among the world's different civilizations to advance world peace and development. As a unified multi-ethnic nation, China is committed to upholding ethnic unity, safeguarding freedom of religious belief, and promoting the development of the languages and cultures of ethnic minorities. We prohibit any form of ethnic discrimination and oppression, and firmly crack down on acts that exploit religion to spread extremist ideas or incite ethnic hatred for the purpose of separatism. and sabotage, China is willing to work with all parties to implement fully the UN strategy and plan of action on hate speech and relevant GA resolutions. Join hands in advancing the global civilization initiative, promote the inclusive coexistence and mutual learning among diverse civilizations, and make greater contributions to the development and the progress of human civilization. Thank you.

I thank Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of China for that statement. I now give the floor to Ms. Hedda Samson, Ambassador, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union.

Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished delegates, colleagues. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, the Republic of Moldova, as well as Armenia, Andorra, San Marino, and the United Kingdom, aligned themselves with this statement. Thanks to the UN Alliance of Civilizations, the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, and the Kingdom of Morocco for bringing us together today. We are joined in a belief that inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue are essential tools in breaking down barriers and building understanding. Diversity is a core value of the European Union. And the EU actively supports initiatives which foster tolerance, cultural diversity and religious pluralism. And we do this because it's the right thing to do. but also because we know how poisonous hate speech can be in our societies, both offline and, increasingly, online. Hate speech is a cross-cutting phenomenon, and as such it needs to be tackled with a comprehensive approach. That means tackling all grounds of discrimination and violence, including religious or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity, ethnicity, nationality, caste, or disability, extending to persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities. It also involves engaging with diverse faiths, beliefs, and philosophical or cultural communities. And the EU does this through its structured dialogues with churches, religious associations, and non-confessional organizations. We work with them, as with member states, international organizations, EU agencies, and civil society. Because only together are we best able to ensure respect for human rights, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and dignity. This involves recognising the right of everyone to have, or not to have, a religion or belief, to change it or to manifest it, alone or in community with others, in public or private. The EU condemns any form of discrimination, intolerance, violence and persecution based on grounds of religion or belief, and rejects any form of incitement to religious hatred. At the same time, we stand for both the right to freedom of religion or belief and the freedom of opinion and expression, which extends to information and ideas that may offend, shock or disturb others, including criticism of religion, ideology, beliefs and institutions. Any restriction on freedom of religion or belief or freedom of expression must be provided by law, may only be imposed for the grounds set out in international human rights law, and must conform to the strict tests of necessity and proportionality. Putting these things together, the EU has built action to combat hate speech into all of our strategies on combating discrimination, from that on racism to that on gender. Specifically, the EU is also committed to tailored, practical action to combat hate speech based on religion or belief, through the work of the Europe-wide coordinators on combating anti-Muslim hatred and anti-Semitism. Ten years ago, in 2016, the EU established a High-Level Group on Combating Hate Speech and Hate Crime. This has actively promoted cooperation between public authorities and civil society organisations through the drawing up of key guiding principles on cooperation between law enforcement authorities and civil society organizations. And underpinning this work, the European Commission provides financial support to national authorities and civil society organizations working on hate speech through its program on citizens, equality, rights, and values. These are practical expressions of our effective commitment to promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech. And we shall continue to work with partners to this effect. I thank you.

I thank the Ambassador and Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union. I now give the floor to To Ukraine, Mr. Andriy Baziw, Councillor at the Mission of Ukraine. You have the floor, sir.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Hate speech does not exist in a vacuum. It prepares the ground for discrimination and violence. And when hatred is given religious sanction, its destructive power becomes even greater. For Ukraine, these are not abstract concerns. For years, Russia has systematically weaponized religion to justify its war of aggression against our country. The ideology of the so-called Russian world portrays Russia as the defender of the supposedly besieged civilization and depicts Ukraine and the rest of democratic world as morally alien and hostile. The hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church has provided this ideology with religious language and legitimacy. Russia's Orthodox chief Kirill has repeatedly justified Russia's aggression and portrayed participation in the war as a spiritual duty. In 2024, the World Russian People's Council, under his chairmanship, went so far as to describe Russia's war against Ukraine as a holy war. These are not words of peacemakers. They turn religion into an instrument of mobilizing society for aggression. dehumanizing its victims and presenting violence as morally righteous. The World Council of Churches has condemned Russia's misuse of religious language and authority to justify armed aggression and hatred. The consequences are measured not only in words, though. During its war against Ukraine, Russia has destroyed or damaged more than 800 religious sites in our country. More than 80 clergy and religious servants have been killed. Churches, prayer houses, synagogues, mosques, and other religious sites belonging to different denominations have suffered from Russian attacks. Just three months ago, another massive Russian attack severely damaged the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of the most important Orthodox sanctuaries in Eastern Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the territories temporarily occupied by Russia, the same ideology is translated into repression. Independent religious communities face intimidation, arbitrary detention, torture, forced incorporation into Russian-controlled religious structures. Russia has forcibly absorbed into the Russian Orthodox Church eight dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Other communities, including Protestants, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, have been subjected to Russia's repressive legislation and persecution. Against this background, Russia's allegations of religion persecution in Ukraine are particularly cynical. Ukraine does not ban a faith or interfere with anyone's right to worship. Our legislation addresses institutional affiliation with the Russian Orthodox Church. an organization whose leadership openly supports and provides religious justification for aggression. The law provides for an individualized legal procedure and opportunity to sever such affiliation and judicial review. Freedom of religion must be protected without exception, but it cannot be invoked to shield foreign interference or institutions serving as instruments of the aggressor state. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you.

I thank the representative of Ukraine and now give the floor to the last speaker on the list, Ms. Hames Rashid Shugli, the first secretary of the Mshimoldo.

thank you Mr.

Chairman your Excellency Mr. Nasser Boubrieta Minister of Foreign Affairs African Cooperation Moroccan expatriates Mr. Chairman Excellencies ladies and gentlemen may the peace and blessings of God be upon you the Sultanate of Oman would like to express its appreciation to the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the Office for the Prevention of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect. We thank you for convening this important global conference, as well as the efforts you are making so as to promote interreligious and cultural dialogue with a view to countering hate speech. The effects of hate speech are particularly dangerous as regards peace and coexistence. We are of the view that we need an approach that is based on prevention so as to promote mutual respect, in addition to promoting education aimed at ensuring coexistence and critical thinking, in addition to responsible digital citizenship. The efforts of governments, the media, educational institutions, as well as traditional and religious leaders, in addition to civil society organizations, must all pull their efforts. The Sultanate of Oman. takes a civilizational approach underpinned by cultural and religious diversity. We believe that this is a source of strength for communities, for all of society. It is the best possible tool to foster understanding between different peoples. The Sultanate of Oman would like to emphasize once again the importance of the Muscat Action Plan. working hand in hand with the Office for the Prevention of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect, as well as the Peacebuilders Alliance. The overarching objective being to promote the role of religious leaders so as to counter hate speech and promote mutual respect, thereby building more inclusive societies and curbing extremism. The Sultanate of Oman would like to underscore that combating hate speech is a responsibility that is incumbent on all of us. We call for greater cooperation and exchange of expertise so as to craft fruitful partnerships, allowing us to create a cyberspace that is safer and that stresses understanding and peace.

Chair, I thank the distinguished representative of the Sultanate of Oman for that statement. That brings us to the end of our speakers, member state speakers. I will now hand back over to the Special Advisor of the Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide and USG, who will continue steering our discussions, giving the floor to other stakeholders. You have the floor, sir.

Thank you very much, Excellency. The next segment of our conference is on voices of stakeholders. And these voices comprise UN entities, civil society, organizations, and faith actors. First of all, UN entities. May I invite her Excellency, Miss Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications. She's not yet here, but when she does arrive, we'll give her the floor. So may I invite Mr. A. Noub Omoish, Director for Policy and Coordination, OCT.

when polarization, intolerance, and identity-based tensions affect so many societies. We cannot overstate the importance of dialogue and tolerance for more peaceful, inclusive, and resilient communities. From a counterterrorism perspective, interreligious and intercultural dialogue is not only a matter of social cohesion. It is also an important tool for preventing terrorism and tackling violent extremism conducive to terrorism. Terrorist actors and their narratives often exploit existing or perceived divisions, grievances, and exclusion. In some contexts, these narratives also draw on misogyny and other forms of gender-based discrimination, exploiting harmful gender stereotypes and grievances to mobilize support and reinforce exclusion. Hate speech can, in some circumstances, facilitate pathways to terrorism by deepening polarization, dehumanizing individuals and communities, and creating conditions in which violence appears easier to justify. Extremist groups often use narratives based on intolerance, discrimination, and hatred to incite, to recruit supporters, and rationalize acts of violence. The accelerated flow of information, increased global connectivity facilitated by digital platforms and artificial intelligence enable them to do so with unprecedented speed, scale, and reach. Not all manifestations of hate speech are linked to or conducive to terrorism. For that reason, it is critical that hate speech and terrorism-related conduct be clearly distinguished in law, policy, and practice at all stages of our responses, from design to implementation. And it is critical that efforts to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism are fully compliant with international law. Because prevention is most effective when it strengthens social cohesion, promotes human rights and gender equality, and creates spaces where differences are considered constructively. Such approaches also reduce vulnerabilities that may otherwise be exploited for terrorist purposes. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Omoish. May I now invite Ms. Alexandra Fong, Deputy Director, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.

And I would also like to express our appreciation and our thanks to the organizers. Excellencies, from the perspective of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, our work on our core mandates, political analysis, preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peacebuilding is today incomplete if we do not take into account the broader information ecosystem and hate speech in particular. As many speakers have stressed throughout the day, the UN's efforts to tackle hate speech and disinformation are not new. We believe it was back in 1947 at the very third session that the General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning all forms of propaganda. And in that same year, the third committee was already discussing the prevention of the dissemination of slanderous statements, which are harmful to good relations between states. So of course, this has been underlined. The problem is not new. What has changed today and what we're grappling with is, of course, the scale, the speed and the ease of transmission of hate speech and disinformation to digital media. And now we have generative AI, which is transforming how information is created, how it is shared, how it is consumed, reshaping the landscape of hate speech at various stages, right from its creation through to its dissemination and amplification, detection and moderation. So how are we adapting and responding in our political work? Our primary focus is how hate speech affects the political processes, the peace processes, and the dialogue processes in which the UN is engaged. This, of course, takes many forms and so do possible responses. We have seen some interesting innovations and developments. Libya is an example in which the parties in the 2020 agreement included provisions to take action against hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric. We know that hate speech is often an early warning sign of deeper societal fractures, as has been stressed by speakers before me. Countering it requires not only technology, but trusted voices, political leadership, and dialogue. We are working to equip our envoys, our mediators, as well as their teams, with tools and expertise to support exactly this, to promote dialogue and to counter hate speech in their public advocacy as well as in their quiet engagements. We have a multidisciplinary approach to this and try and address these issues through a variety of avenues, notably mediation, peacebuilding, including through the Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund, which has been more and more active in this area, electoral assistance, and through our strategic communications. We're also working to better understand the gendered dimensions of hate speech. For instance, together with UN Women and other partners, we're really trying to help address a concerning trend of online harassment and discrimination faced by women electoral candidates. In some contexts, we have seen that this form of online harassment is pushing women out of public life. Given the complexity of all of this, working in partnership is, of course, essential, and this means strong partnerships within the UN, as well as with Member States, media, civil society, regional organizations, and specifically for our work, important groups such as the Network of Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, from whom we have learned a great deal in this area. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Director Ms. Alexandra Fong. We are still holding on for USG Melissa Fleming. When she arrives, she will take the floor. At this point in time, may I turn to civil society and faith actors. I have the privilege to invite Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, Professor of International Human Rights Law School of Law and Human Rights Centre, University of Essex.

Thank you, distinguished Chair, Your Excellencies, distinguished participants, partners and friends. I am honoured to join this high-level conference today. I thank the organisers for the kind invitation extended to me. I would like to highlight today three recent initiatives pursued by the Essex Human Rights Centre. These support the implementation of existing action plans and strategies in ways that uphold human rights and foster belonging and social cohesion. I refer to the Tirana Framework on countering all forms of intolerance, the Oslo Model for engaging with all levels of distributed governance for countering religious intolerance, and the Interdisciplinary Cronulla Declaration of Principles for countering Islamophobia and antisemitism. All these have been recognized in recent reports of the UN Secretary-General. The Tirana and Oslo initiatives seek to increase the scope and depth of the Istanbul process linked to the action plan and Human Rights Council resolution 1618. Building on good practice from previous Istanbul process meetings, Tirana offers a free-standing multi-stakeholder platform to increase transparency and shared learning among different actors while also supporting accountability. The Oslo Model draws on the good practices of UN treaty bodies that work with subnational authorities. It offers a multi-level structure for the whole society approach advocated by the UN Global Strategy and supports depolarization. It helps us to go beyond abstract normative debates and engage in real practical solutions. The Granada Declaration seeks to complement existing efforts to counter antisemitism and Islamophobia. It offers a framework to address gaps, omissions, and interactions in our current efforts, and supports inclusion and leadership by grounding our efforts in human rights. An increasing number of actors who work on all forms of hatred are stressing the value of shared approaches, such as the Pathways to Inclusion project, launched recently by the OSCE region with support from Canada. I invite all stakeholders to examine these initiatives and see how their efforts can benefit from using these three human rights-based tools. All three draw on various recommendations that I had offered to the UN in my reports between 2016 and 2022, as well as the UN Global Strategy, especially commitments numbers 4, 8, and 11. All three tools also rely on key insights from the 1995 UNESCO Declaration of Principles on Tolerance, especially its call for an inclusive and egalitarian approach and support for inclusion. I refer to the UNESCO principles today, given their relevance for building a society that fosters belonging, equal concern and respect, an active attitude of respect for diversity, and a practice that can build trust, solidarity, and norms of reciprocity. These are the core elements of social cohesion. The UNESCO declaration is therefore vital for the goals that have been set for today's conference. as per commitment number eight of the UN Global Strategy. May I therefore conclude by appealing to you all to breathe new life into the implementation of the UNESCO declaration as we mark 30th anniversary of its adoption by the UNGA in December this year and mobilize it to support the UN Global Strategy to combat all forms of hate. I thank you all.

Thank you very much, Professor Shahid. May I now invite Mr. El Mehdi Boudra, President Association Memonah, who will address us by video link.

Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to take the floor at the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech. I would like to commend my country, the Kingdom of Morocco, for its leadership in promoting dialogue, convivencia, and mutual understanding as essential pillars of peace. At Association Mimouna, our experience has taught us a simple lesson. If hatred can be spread through narratives, then dialogue can also create powerful narratives of understanding and coexistence. For us, preserving Morocco's Jewish heritage means preserving who we are. In Morocco, this is not only the responsibility of those who inherited this heritage, it is the responsibility of every Moroccan. We are proud to be Muslim by faith, African, Amazigh, and Arab by identity, and deeply shaped by more than 2,000 years of Jewish presence and civilization in Morocco. Under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco's diversity is recognized not as a threat to our identity, but as one of the greatest strengths. This vision is reflected in Morocco's 2000 constitution and has been translated into action through the restoration of Jewish heritage sites, the preservation of cemeteries, the rehabilitation of historic mellahs, and the creation of Bayt Dakhira in Essaouira. But heritage remains alive only when it is understood, shared, and transmitted. This is why education matters. In 2020, Morocco became the first country in the Arab world to include Jewish history and heritage in primary school curricula. The message is clear. The history of Moroccan Jews is not a separate chapter. It is part of the history of Morocco. This matters for young people whose understanding of different communities can increasingly be shaped by social media, polarization, and conflict. We must therefore turn awareness into action. Hate speech, antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and other forms of identity-based hatred may target different communities, but they often grow from the same roots: stereotypes, misinformation, dehumanization, and the refusal to recognize the dignity of the other. We must invest in prevention through education, cultural heritage, youth exchange, interfaith dialogue, and people-to-people engagement. At Mimouna, we believe young people are not merely the audience, they are the answer. Founded by students nearly 20 years ago, Mimouna empowers young people to become storytellers of their own history and ambassador for dialogue and convivencia. But none of this can succeed alone. It requires partnership between government, religious leaders, educators, civil society, media, and above all, young people. In a world where hate speech can cross borders and reach millions within seconds, our response must also cross borders. Ultimately, our success should be measured by whether the next generation regardless of religion or ethnicity, sees the heritage of minorities community, not as the legacy of an absent past, but as an integral part of our shared history and identity. So our responsibility is clear. We must teach, we must remember, we must engage, and we must act. Let us choose dialogue over division, education over ignorance, and partnership over mistrust. Let us make diversity not as a source of fear, but a foundation for peace. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your kind remarks. May I now invite Mr. Swami Sava Priyananda, Minister and Spiritual Leader, Vedana Society of New York, also by video message.

Dear sisters and brothers of the world. It is a joy to address you today on a subject that touches the very core of human existence and spiritual evolution, interfaith harmony, viewed through the lens of the Hindu experience, shaped by thousands of years of Indian civilization. Hinduism offers a paradigm shift. It does not merely talk about tolerance. It proclaims universal acceptance. The variety of religions we see in the world today constitutes a most precious cultural asset of humanity. Unfortunately, faith has also been used to fuel hatred, conflict, and violence, as exemplified by the modern tragedy of 9/11 here in New York City. But I wish to speak to you of another 9/11, on September 11, 1893, Swami Vivekananda electrified the world stage at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He introduced the West to the ancient core of Hinduism, the realization that the divinity within the Atman is identical in all beings, irrespective of differing religious beliefs. Hinduism teaches that the ultimate reality is one, though called by many names, "Ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti." Religions are not competing truth claims where one succeeds at the expense of others. Instead, they are different paths to the same spiritual reality. From the Hindu perspective, diversity is not a flaw. It is the very nature of existence. God cannot be trapped in a single book, a single prophet, or a single tradition. Because God is infinite, the paths to the divine are also infinite. To love one's own religion should never mean hating another's. True religious harmony is achieved not by flattening our differences into a bland uniformity, nor by trying to convert everyone to one faith, but by recognizing the perennial spiritual philosophy that unites us all. Hate speech is a psychological disease. Every religion recognizes the deep connection between thought, speech, and action. Hate speech reveals hatred in the heart and culminates in hateful actions. How can you look at your brother or sister, who is none other than the divine manifested before you, and pour forth the poison of condemnation? On 9/11 in 1893, Vivekananda remarked, "The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist. nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian, but each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth. This is the essence of interfaith harmony. If a theme is played on a single instrument, it is a solo, but when different instruments play their unique notes in unison, it becomes a grand symphony. Let us rise above the dogmas that divide us and touch the experiential core of religion which manifests the divinity already within us. Thank you and namaskars.

Thank you very much, Mr. Swami Sathya Priyananda, for your remarks. I now have the pleasure to invite Dr. Azza Karam, Founding President and Chief Executive Officer, Lead Integrity.

Okay. Peace be upon you all. Many, many warm thanks and appreciative greetings to the Kingdom of Morocco that I am proud to say has been a leader in much of this area and especially in civil society engagement within interreligious and intercultural space and a protector of all civil rights and liberties. And great thanks to the UN Alliance of Civilizations and the UN Office for the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, because they have actually been the beginning, the leaders within the UN system for engagement with interreligious and intercultural matters systematically since their respective inception, which took at that time, in the very beginning of this kind of an engagement, it took a great deal of courage. even where some Member States were fully on board, others not necessarily. So their courage and vision and the hard work of the respective staff in those offices is to be fully commended and much gratitude thereto for. Rather than speak about specific initiatives, others have done so with tremendous eloquence and alacrity, I would ask you to allow me to share two key points from three decades of working in the intercultural and interreligious space outside of the United Nations, within the United Nations, and with different United Nations bodies and entities. There are actually principles to govern inter-religious engagement by the United Nations system, which were developed jointly with 20 different UN system entities way back in 2007. I wonder what happened to them today. There would be much to celebrate, I'm sure, but also some things to keep in mind. Distinguished delegates, representatives and organizations here. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue is not new. It is one of the oldest forms of human engagement known to humanity. What is perhaps much more critical and necessary today, given the situation that many, if not all, Member States have referred to of recurrent conflicts and expanding and escalating conflicts, and the prevalence of hate speech made normal sometimes in the presentations of certain heads of state, not just in a matter of civic society engagement, but given all of this. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue needs to make that bound, that leap of faith, if you will, beyond the conferencing and the discussions and the negotiations and the more conferencing and meetings. It is time to go beyond interreligious and intercultural dialogue into interreligious and intercultural actions that serve vulnerable populations which are expanding in number all over the world. And if the interreligious and intercultural spaces are not leaders in that space of saving the entire human rights agenda, not selective human rights, freedom of religion and belief, absolutely, freedom of expression, absolutely, but let us please keep in mind that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is indivisible, interdependent, and it cannot be picked at, cherry picked at, as is currently the case. Inter-religious and intercultural actors of diverse hues have made a point over the years, over the decades, in different continents, of upholding those rights. Governments have themselves a track record of upholding those rights. The issue today is How are interreligious and intercultural actors working with governments and with each other to uphold the entirety and to safeguard the entirety and the indivisibility of the entire human rights agenda? And where and how can this action be encouraged? There are a few principles for this that need to be borne in mind. The first is inter-religious or religion is part of culture, culture is part of religion. This semantic dialogue and distinction between them is harmful to all. For us to see religion and culture as two separate domains of human life is for us not to see human life. Furthermore, it is important to realize that we now are speaking very normally of civil society and faith actors, as if faith actors are a significant piece of the divine puzzle that are not part of civil society. Distinguished delegates, they are members of the civil society, and civil society itself needs to be held accountable by the member states, by the governments, to how they integrate and work with and are held accountable to, by, and with faith actors, not as a distinct species, not a distinct siloed area of engagement, which unfortunately many of us in international development and humanitarian work do. We silo, we look at things separately when in fact the human being is one and humanity is one. The day and the time and the moment when we can see that inter-religious culture Interreligious and intercultural are one and the same and need to be promoted and served and they need to be held accountable to joint action to support the entirety of the human rights is the day that we will see the pendulum swing from current hate speech as normal to the absolute eradication of even the need for hate speech. Last, and by no means least, I wish to thank you for giving this opportunity to my budding organization, Lead Integrity, which speaks for over 1000 experts around the world who have served for over three decades in intercultural and interreligious spaces. We are women led, the first of this kind, but we are by no means women centered. And we would like to suggest to all of you that this is a moment of accountability. For the United Nations system itself to survive, interreligious and intercultural dialogue cannot be siloed into a specific field, in a specific conference, at a specific moment in time, that if we speak about peace and security, if we speak about sustainable development, and if we speak about democratization and the safeguarding of human rights, and everything to do with humanitarian relief, We actually have to integrate both interreligious and intercultural actors, and sometimes interreligious actors need to be reminded that coming together in meetings is not the same as serving one another in moments of crises. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Dr. Kazak Karam, for your remarks. May I invite Imam Ahmed Dawood, Islamic Society of Mid-Manhattan?

In the name of God, most compassionate, most merciful, may the peace of God be upon you. Most compassionate, the most merciful. Your excellencies, distinguished leaders, representatives of the United Nations, ladies and gentlemen, peace be upon all of you. It is an honor to join you today. to address the rise of hate speech and our shared responsibility to confront it. I extend my sincere appreciation to the United Nations, the Kingdom of Morocco, who known for, known for long history of diversity of many cultures, nationalities, religions. All the organizers of the bringing us today together for this important gathering. The United Nations Office of Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. Brothers and sisters, our challenge is not only to condemn hatred, but to ask how do we prevent words of difference from becoming words of division and hatred. Nearly 1,000 years ago, the great Muslim scholar, Imam Al-Ghazali, devoted an entire discussion to what he called, the dangers of the tongue. Al-Ghazali observed that there is perhaps no part of the human body easier to use than the tongue, it requires almost no effort to move and yet what comes from it can have consequences for greater than the effort it took to speak. We see this responsibility in the story of Moses, peace be upon him, Musa alaihis salam, peace be upon him, when God sent him and his brother Harun to Pharaoh A man who had transgressed and oppressed his people, God still commanded them, Speak to him with leniency, gentle words, so perhaps he may take heed or become mindful. Some of humanity's darkest chapter were preceded by a word. A word that leaded another people as inferior or unworthy, repeated until neighbor became a stranger and a stranger became an enemy. But if the bad word possesses the power of divide, a good word can lead also the power to reconcile. We remember the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, When he returned victorious to Mecca, before him stood many of those who had persecuted him and his followers and driven them from their homes. He speak to the people of Quraish. The answer, "Good, you are a noble brother and the son of a noble brother. He replied,, go for you are free. At the very moment, he had the power to retaliate, but he choose not. This is why freedom expression must always be accompanied by moral responsibility. The Quran gives as a beautiful image, a good words is like a good tree. It's very well rooted. Its root is firm and its branches reach into the sky. May we choose words that plant dignity rather than contempt, reconciliation rather than division, and above all, peace rather than hatred. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your remarks. May I now invite Ms. Sonia Asturhumana Padave, the Indian coordinator of Indigenous organizations, please. You have the floor.

Good afternoon. It is an honor to speak at this global conference on promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance and countering hate speech. I also extend my greetings to the United Nations and thank them for this grandiose forum where all voices can be heard. I thank the political and religious leaders, the media, and I also thank our interpreters. Indigenous people are cultures of peace, of harmony. They are woven from the same fabric as existence. Hate speech, as well as speech of discrimination and racism, is a disharmony of the soul. These are illusions that separate us from the essential truth of nature, of peace within and without. We must share with the Earth and its cycles of harmony. Peace is not only the absence of war or an agreement signed on paper. For us, Indigenous peoples, it is a living state, a state of the spirit of harmony and interconnection between the human being, his environment, community, and our Mother Nature. It means harmony with Mother Nature. It means healing our lands, our waters, our forests, animals, plants, and spirits. It means putting an end to the depredation of our lands, of our thoughts, of our feelings. This is something that affects life, not only our life, but the life of all of humanity and our planet. Peace for us is a living system. It is not a static, cold political pact. It is a living practice, a spiritual practice that is nurtured and is born from respect, consultation, and our own original laws. We call for dialogue with the world without losing balance, losing respect. And above all, we need to clean ourselves and heal ourselves through this meeting. We cannot be separated and isolated. It is time to move from talking to action. Policies must be built together with us based on our cosmovision, our philosophy, and our way of life, and our own ancestral systems as well. Life and respect are not things that can be fragmented. We are always committed to diplomacy and respect, despite so much invasion and violence that has been waged against us. For us, Earth is sacred. Why must we draw differences and divisions among star cells when we all drink from the same water and breathe the same air. Let us look to the earth, to the land, its medicine. We are all raising, living on the earth and raising our children with love. Thank you for this opportunity to take the floor here and I look forward to meeting again and I wish A life of harmony for humanity and for Mother Earth. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your remarks, Ms. Sonia Astu-Hermana-Pardeve. May I now invite Reverend Prot. Presbyter Dr. Nicholas Kazarian, Director, Department of Inter-Orthodox, to make his remarks.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, Your Excellencies, distinguished religious and civil society leaders, ladies and gentlemen, beloved sisters and brothers in the human family. I wish to express my thanks to His Excellency UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for convening this global conference on promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance, encountering hate speech, and to the organizers of this gathering, the Kingdom of Morocco, the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, and the UN Alliance for Civilizations. for facilitating the involvement of a diverse array of stakeholders in this discussion. As director of the Department of Inter-Orthodox Ecumenical Interfaith Relations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, I'm honored to convey the well wishes and fervent prayers of His Eminence, Archbishop Epiphanius of America, for a fruitful and enriching gathering. Informed by the enduring inheritance of the Orthodox Christian faith and inspired by the witness of His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America remains committed to fostering a culture of peace through interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Still, Our aspirations for the collective adoption of a global ethos of solidarity grounded in peace and dialogue remains ever elusive on account of the prevalence of hatred, discrimination, and violence on the basis of religion or belief. Our church has not been spared in this regard. We remain deeply concerned by the degree to which hate speech can metastasize into state-sanctioned policies of discrimination and violence against religious minorities and their religious sites. It is undeniable that hate speech is a primary catalyst in the normalization of religious and cultural supremacy, conspiracy theories, and the justification of violence against those of other faiths and cultures. Nonetheless, The prevalence and origins of hate speech as an expression of supposedly unavoidable clash of civilization can serve as a useful measure in assessing the degree to which Member States are upholding their obligations to protect the rights and the dignity of all people under international law. Furthermore, Our vigilance is confronting hate speech can help us as religious and civic leaders gauge the degree to which the members of our respective communities are living into the fullness of their traditions, not rejecting the neighbor in fear of their difference, but embrace them in light of it. As Claude Levi-Strauss once wrote, "True civilization entails the coexistence of cultures that offer one another the greatest possible diversity. This is our calling, our common mandate as members of one human family." I thank you.

Thank you very much. I now recognize the presence of Her Excellency Ms. Melissa Fleming, USG for Global Communications and the UN Anchor for Information Integrity. USG Melissa, please, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, dear Special Advisor. And I would like to also thank the Ambassador of Morocco and my dear colleague from UNAOC USG, nice to see you. The UN has long worked to counter discrimination, religious hatred, and prevent atrocities. Hate speech drives intolerance and is also an early sign, an early warning sign of violence. And this threat has only evolved since the 2019 UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech. Social media and AI technologies are greatly increasing the speed, scale, volume, and customization of hate speech. Responses by tech companies have been inadequate or flawed. Responses by governments have been mixed. Some are even implicated in generating and distributing hate speech. Civil society, working to address this challenge remain underfunded and under attack. So solutions must be rooted in information integrity, which lies at the core of this conference's agenda. Information integrity is part of prevention. Less hate means fewer dehumanizing narratives, narratives that lead to real-world violence. This is only possible in a resilient and inclusive information environment. Prevention is only possible in a resilient and inclusive information environment. So together, the plan of action and the UN Global Principles on Information Integrity offer practical means of getting there. We know now for sure, if we want a better world, if we want stable democracies, the rule of law, a healthy environment, peace, we must make sure the systems shaping our information spaces are grounded in human rights, are transparent, and are accountable, built to serve rather than exploit people. I have hope, hope that people have had enough of the toxic information environment as it is, that they are demanding better. that they are standing for change. And we are working together to build coalitions with the UN Global Principles on Information Integrity as our blueprint. This includes engaging independent media, the private sector, faith-based networks, civil society, and authorities, many of you who are represented here in this room. The appetite for action is real. So I invite leaders here to take the UN Global Principles as a common point of reference in our collective efforts to address hate speech. I thank you.

Thank you very much, USG Fleming, for your wake-up call. Last but not least, may I invite Ms. Rachel Bayani, Principal Representative of the Baha'i International Community. to make her remarks.

Thank you so much. Thank you to Excellencies, Ambassadors, and really distinguished organizers of this very important event. And also really thank you to all the speakers who delivered such powerful statements, whether this morning or also this afternoon. The Baha'i International Community really believes that countering hate speech in the long run can only happen to a profound reconceptualization of human relationships, of the relationships between individuals and communities, in the sense that we must expand our sense of community. It is no longer enough that we see within the circle of community those that are similar to us. We need to expand that circle of community to include those who are different faiths or different cultures. And really, that exercise is key for us in this countering of hate speech in the long term, which is only possible if we no longer see an us and a them. And Religious leaders and communities have a particularly important role to play in this regard. They're key in helping us expand that circle, and they must be very, very vigilant in really endorsing and repeating narratives that help to expand the circle rather than do the opposite. They must refrain from saying anything that gives an impression of superiority, finality, or exclusivity. And on the other hand, expanding that circle doesn't happen just through occasional encounters. We must have continued and daily collaborations between religious communities, religious communities coming together to really read the reality of the place they live in, to jointly identify the challenges of that place, and then to jointly devise solutions.

And this is a daily exercise.

And so one of the questions is really, what does it mean for all of us to create the conditions at whatever levels, whether it's through the institutions, whether it is grassroots, to allow for these conditions of close and daily collaboration? Thank you.

Thank you very much. That statement, Max, the close, of remarks by both civil society, faith actors, and UN entities. With that, may I now invite the distinguished speakers, but in doing so, I would like to reiterate sincere thanks to the Secretary-General for convening this important conference. I would like to express sincere thanks to His Excellency the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco, for supporting this conference. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to His Excellency Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, for their partnership and also mutual support in organizing this conference. May I invite the Permanent Representative of Morocco to deliver his closing remarks. Excellency.

Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations and dear friend, Mr. Martinez, Special Advisor of the SG on the Prevention of Genocide, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. If I may, at the outset, I'd like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone for the high caliber of briefings, in particular His Excellency Mr. Nassir Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, UN Secretary-General, President of the General Assembly, as well as the USG and High Rep for the Alliance of Civilizations and the USG Special Advisor on Prevention of Genocide. All of the speakers sketched out the future of our work. The fight against hate speech is a strategic choice and a collective priority that is both pressing, as we see an alarming spread in hate speech, But it is also a long-standing commitment, something that Morocco has spearheaded at the General Assembly. Working together, we've been reminded that the response that must be mounted on the basis of multilateralism and solidarity between nations, a way of guaranteeing social cohesion and us living together, interreligious and intercultural dialogue in the spirit of the Fez Declaration. is the most tangible prevention instrument we have. We were warned by speakers against, and forcefully so, against hate speech as it is a recognized risk factor and a precursor to crimes against humanity. This requires us to be on our guard across the board. What are the key takeaways from today's meeting? Well, they are the following. The time for issuing diagnoses is behind us. It is now time to take action. We know the way hate speech works, its ins and outs. Hate speech divides societies, undermines multilateralism, and history has taught us tragically so how dehumanization through words can create fertile ground for the most atrocious of crimes being committed indeed. We know that hate speech has taken root in echo chambers online, as cyberspace knows no borders, as we're all well aware. We must ensure that we do our utmost to buck the trend. Online hate speech is not a secondary threat. It is at the heart of the threat. It is a transnational phenomenon that we face, and therefore A national response cannot be sufficient. For this very reason, the conclusions we draw today should be translated into concrete commitments, sharing best practices, investing in education and prevention, as well as international cooperation, which leaves no room for the spread of hate speech. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, guided by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom of Morocco, will see this work as the continuation of a legacy. The Rabat Action Plan, the Marrakesh Declaration, the Fez Action Plan, and the Fez Declaration, adapted at the World Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations. Morocco's contribution is constantly evolving. It is a tangible one, and it is open to the world. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, by way of conclusion, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all member states, as well as to religious leaders, faith-based organizations, to the media, to civil society, and all relevant stakeholders who took part in this conference. Thank you for your high caliber interventions and the very rich exchanges which characterized our discussions. We shared our experiences, showcased best practices, and expressed various vantage points. This attests to the vitality of our common commitment and the strength of dialogue when it is held. In the spirit of shared responsibility, may this conference be the starting point for renewed mobilization. The Kingdom of Morocco, on its side, would like to reiterate its willingness to work shoulder to shoulder with our partners to ensure that the conclusions of our work are translated into concrete actions that are fit for solving challenges past and future. I thank you.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. May I now invite His Excellency Miguel Angel Moratinos to make his closing remarks.

Thank you very much. As we conclude this conference, this common gathering, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to all participants for the engagement, your candor, and the depth of your contribution. Both colleagues on the table have already summarized the main elements that have been discussed today here in New York. I will try to summarize even in a shorter manner. First, I have to say that in all the intervention, there has been a common and unanimous support to the leading role of the Office of Special Advisor for Prevention Genocide, and particularly his Under-Secretary-General, Chaloka Veyane. And we thank you for your leading role and for maintaining this permanent commitment to advance and eradicate this hate speech. Also, the complementary role of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, I have the privilege to rule. But let me try to go a little further, after listening not to all member states, but also from religious leaders and civil society. Yes, we have listened to each other. Yes, member states have spoken. Yes, religious leaders have spoken. Yes, civil society have spoken, but then the conclusion is that words, discourse, is not enough. You know, the Bible say.

First there was the word.

We have to speak first. Yes, we have to have dialogue, second. that dialogue speeches are not enough. That the reason that when we created the Alliance of Civilizations, we didn't say the dialogue of civilization, we said, let's create an alliance to go further than just listening each other. So I think today we have all committed that when we speak what we think, And what we heard, all of us here, was a positive, peaceful, and constructive speech. We didn't hear any hate speech here. We only heard the good speeches. And we were the majority, member states, civil society, religious leaders. So why we are going to be defeated? by the one they want to hate, and violence, and wars, and conflict. Dr. Azar Karant said, reminded us that he's been working for many years, like me, more or less. And we have advanced in this dialogue, but it's not enough dialogue. We have to do a common agenda to work out together. Our friend from the indigenous representative give a moral lessons. Very easy. Peace is something living. La Paz is and harmony and respect.

Peace is something living and lives in harmony and respect.

So I think we have this, I think, conclusion that we can leave this floor, this trusted, how you call it, this trusted whole with a commitment to continue to work for a mutual understanding, respect, and eliminating, eradicating hate speech. The Kingdom of Morocco has been a pioneer, my dear Omar. His Majesty has been always guiding us for what should be done. Morocco City has been now referring in all the UN resolution, Marrakesh, Rabat Plan of Action. So you have a responsibility. I told you before, Rabat Plan of Action is fantastic. You make the best effort to try to combine the freedom of expression and freedom of religion. to make it practically, to find the magic formula. It still needs a little effort. So call for a second Rabat Plan of Action, and we'll be very happy to go back to the Kingdom of Morocco. So thank you for being with us all the day, and let the speech be peaceful and constructive. Thank you very much. Let's applaud, my dear. Okay, okay, okay.

Thank you very much, USG, Miguel, and Joe Moratinos for your inspiring remarks, galvanizing almost, at this end of the day. The theme of this conference, if I may, is countering hate speech by promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance. That at once brings the arms of our two offices, genocide prevention on the one hand, and the responsibility to protect, and the alliance of civilizations, and anchored by the support of the Kingdom of Morocco, for which we say Thank you very much. Most of those who have spoken have related to countering hate speech grounded in the UN Charter and international law, and have called for dialogue across the pillars of the UN Charter, peace and security, human rights, sustainable development. The whole max of the Charter, never again. there are early warning signs that the again in the never is a midistis unless we act and act promptly. The charter upholds the scourge of war and yet we see the normalization of violence and of war and of rhetoric to that end. The charter reaffirms faith in fundamental human rights, but we see the undermining of human rights that is central to the multilateral system that we have. The Charter underpins human dignity, and we see head speech rhetoric that is dehumanizing, that is prejudicial, stereotyping, intolerant, and polarizing. And yet within the charter, the UN is established as a center for resolving humanitarian problems. The conference is grounded in that particular aspect of the UN charter. Many have called for the framework of prevention, and the framework of prevention is ingrained in the UN charter itself. It was established as a framework of prevention with its pillars of peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development. But amidst this, we see incitement to hatred, violence, conflict, extremism, contrary to the principles and purposes of the UN Charter itself. That is sufficient ground for countering hate speech. Many have said no country is immune to hate speech and intolerance. That is the basis for collective responsibility. It's our shared responsibility to counter hate speech and incitement to hatred. Many have called for countering hate speech to be based in international human rights law, which is part of the architecture of the UN Charter. And here, the very essence of human rights speaks to that. It's about tolerance. It's about broad-mindedness. It's about inclusion. And yet, hate speech is a driver of intolerance. We have to visit the tenets that are important and that intersect, that freedom of expression or speech as a fundamental principle, freedom of religion, belief and conscience, and discrimination on religious, racial, and other grounds. Those are important intersections within international human rights law. And yet we know that freedom of expression is not absolute. International human rights law calls for duties and responsibilities in exercising freedom of expression. Because of the power and effect of words, they have to be expressed with responsibility. At the same time, freedom of expression is not absolute. It is subject to legitimate restrictions in the public interest. The Rabat Plan of Action speaks to that. The intersection with freedom of religion is quite obvious. That hate speech or incitement to hatred, violence, in particular propaganda, is contrary to freedom of expression, but when it touches on matters of religion, religious belief, it's also contrary to the manifestation of religion. While the right to hold or not to hold a religion is absolute, nonetheless the intersection makes it possible to counter hate speech amongst the dimensions of the three branches of human rights in this particular regard. Non-discrimination on grounds of race, religion, sex, ethnicity is about inclusion. It's about social cohesion, which is why it is in the UN Charter. Men have called for tolerance and that countering hate speech is part of good governance, is part of the architecture of governing. And here a multilayered institutional approach is important. That also includes municipal authorities as well as local level authorities who mostly are the first responders in this particular regard. Many have pointed out the tools that we have, the UN Plan of Action and Strategy on Countering Hate Speech, the Rabat Plan of Action, the UN Plan of Action and Strategy against Islamophobia and Antisemitism. And as one member state made the clarion call, We do not like the means or the tools; the problem is one of implementation. We hope that, going forward, the hallmark of this conference is a follow-up to this discussion and to the implementation of the frameworks that we have. Many have pointedly called for investment in prevention, and that incitement is a risk factor to across-it crimes. therefore, is called for. The centrality of prevention is critical. It is part of early warning and part of early action. The destructive role of generative AI has been singled out repeatedly. Action, not just responses, is required in terms of regulation, curbing algorithms that create generative AI. the digital spaces that are exploited by AI, the exponential and amplification of incitement to hatred, breeding intolerance, which at this point in time presents an existential risk and threat to humanity. Other tools have been mentioned, education and investing in education, investing in youth participation in particular, in gender dimensions, inclusion, diversion and tolerance, and also in legal systems, although many have also pointed out that law by itself is not enough. A lot more is required at the level of communities to build social cohesion. So there has to be a follow-up on the substantive content on prevention, on countering hate speech on inter-religious and intercultural grounds, on issues of dialogue and accountability, on recommendations that have come out from the many proposals that many member states, UN entities, civil society organizations, and faith actors have made. So thank you very much for your time. We thank the Member States who were present, the UN entities that were present, the civil society, as well as faith actors, for your time and also for your contribution and discussions. This event is now closed. Thank you.