Utøya Training Course on Counter and Alternative Narratives to Hate Speech
16-20 October 2017, Utøya Island, Norway
Background information
The No Hate Speech Movement (NHSM) is a youth campaign launched by the Council of Europe in 2013 to mobilise young people to combat hate speech on and offline and to act for human rights. The campaign is driven by the need to counter online hate speech in all its forms, including those that most affect young people. It is based upon human rights education, youth participation and media literacy.
In the current phase of the campaign specific emphasis is placed on combating hate speech through counter narratives that promote human rights values and reporting hate speech content with the relevant authorities. In support of these priorities, a mapping of national reporting mechanisms and social media platforms and “We CAN!” a manual on developing counter and alternative narratives to hate speech for youth workers and educators, were launched spring 2017.
In October 2017 The Youth Department of the Council of Europe and the European Wergeland Centre (EWC) are organising a 5 day training course at Utøya in Norway, based on the new manual. The attack on the government buildings in Oslo and the political summer camp on Utøya 22 July 2011 in Norway was executed by a right-wing extremist who was active in online forums and social media spreading dehumanising hate speech.
Both the attack 22 July 2011 and other recent attacks and hate crimes in Europe, show that democracy and human rights cannot be taken for granted. To build open and inclusive societies educating young people for democracy and human rights is key. Not only to prevent hate speech, hate ideologies and violent extremism to spread, but to promote democracy, human rights and active citizenship.
Aim and Objectives
The training course will develop the competences of youth workers, youth leaders and educators to work with young people to develop counter and alternative narratives to hate speech based on the manual ‘WE CAN’.
The project objectives include to:
- Develop participants’ competences to use counter and alternative narratives to promote human rights and democratic values
- Develop participants’ competences to use the manual ‘We CAN’ with young people.
- Develop proposals for off-/online initiatives to integrate counter and alternative narratives in the European and national initiatives to combat hate speech
- Strengthen the response of national campaigns and programme partners to hate speech through education for human rights and democracy by making use of counter and alternative narratives
- Increase expertise of EWC and the Youth Department of the Council of Europe to support its partners in using counter and alternative narratives.
Profile of participants
The training course will invite 35 campaign activists, youth workers, youth leaders and educators active with young people on combatting hate speech through awareness-raising and educational activities.
All participants should:
- Be experienced with conducting initiatives that take action on hate speech and/or discrimination and aim to strengthen human rights and democracy.
- Be active in one of the EEA and Norway Grants beneficiary or donor countries Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal and/or the donor countries Lichtenstein, Iceland and Norway
- Be in a position to transfer the gained competences in one of the EEA and Norway Grants beneficiary or donor countries listed above.
- Have working knowledge of English.
We welcome applications from all candidates who fulfill the above mentioned profile, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief or sexual orientation.
Application procedure and deadlines
The Youth Department is now opening the call for participants for this training seminar. All interested candidates must apply online, completing the application form
The application must be submitted by 23 August 2017, at noon, Central European Time. All applicants will be notified of the selection results by 8 September
Practical and financial conditions
Venue and accommodation
The training course will hosted at the Memorial- and learning centre Utøya, Utøya Island, Norway.
Travel expenses
All travel expenses to and from the training venue will be managed and reimbursed according to the rules of the European Wergeland Centre.
Working languages
The working languages will be English.
Visas
Visa costs will be reimbursed by the EWC. The EWC will issue an invitation letter that should facilitate the delivery of visas to attend the training course.
For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.
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