HRC Enhances Capabilities of National Staff on Combating Hate Speech, Boosting Cultural Diversity

Riyadh, March 23, 2021, SPA -- A workshop on “Human Rights, Enhancing Cultural Diversity and Combating Hate Speech”, co-organized by Saudi Human Rights Commission and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, concluded here today, and aimed at increasing awareness and boosting the capabilities of national staff of government institutions, civil society and the private sector to combat the hate speech and enhance cultural diversity. Participants in the workshop were acquainted with root causes and drivers of the hate speech so as to take necessary procedures to deal with its impacts and reduce it; enhance the principles of human rights, non-discrimination, and tolerance and understanding of other cultures and religions; and ways to coordinate at the national level to better understand and address hate speech and mitigate its impacts. They were also briefed on the importance of enhancing partnership with relevant stakeholders to spread the principles of respecting cultural diversity at the national level. They also stressed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has exerted multiple and qualitative efforts to enhance cultural diversity and curb hate speech, where the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the national level, joined the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, at the regional level, ratified several regional agreements and conventions that combat all forms of discrimination based on race, religion or color, and at the national level, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s regulations paid great attention to the principle of equality and addressing racial discrimination. The workshop reviewed a number of subjects that included the international legal framework on hate speech and its concept; declarations and programs related to curbing hate speech and enhancing cultural diversity; political and ideological discourse; the importance of using technology as a means to combat hate speech; relevant challenges and strategies; and the role of the civil society in facing hate speech and spreading the culture of tolerance. --SPA