Symposium in Hasakah discusses ways to combat hate speech, promote social cohesion

The Syria Future Party held a dialogue forum in the city of Hasakah on combating hate speech and promoting a culture of co-existence, bringing together community figures, academicians, representatives of the Internal Security Forces, and members of the Women's Protection Units (YPJ). The event took place at the Reading Garden in the Tel Hajar neighborhood.

The forum opened with holding a minute of silence, followed by remarks from Saleh al-Zoubaa, the co-chair of the Syria Future Party's Council of Relations. He said that hate speech is a phenomenon found around the world to varying degrees, depending on the level of awareness within societies.

Al-Zoubaa added that Syrian society had historically enjoyed strong relations among its diverse communities, but that hate speech has intensified over time, contributing to the emergence of numerous crises and conflicts.

Al-Zoubaa also highlighted what he described as the most prevalent forms of hate speech currently circulating in the region, saying that a number of organizations and media figures have contributed to fueling and spreading such rhetoric within society.

He outlined several proposals to address the phenomenon, including enacting legislation criminalizing hate speech, developing school curricula to promote the values of co-existence and acceptance of others, strengthening the role of the media in fostering a culture of peace, and establishing specialized committees to monitor and combat content that incites hatred.

The forum concluded with an open discussion, during which participants underscored the important role of political parties, community figures, and Arab and Kurdish clans in promoting civil peace, countering hate speech, and reinforcing a culture of dialogue and peaceful co-existence.