ACT - Alliance to Counteract Threats of Hate in Italy

ongoing

Throughout the EU, discrimination and hate incidents continue to affect many people. These violations are particularly widespread in Italy and their consequences are particularly serious. The general objective of this proposal is preventing and countering hate speech and hate incidents in Italy by strengthening cooperation mechanisms and improving capacities of CSOs to respond to these phenomena. The project focuses on reinforcing the Rete Nazionale per il Contrasto ai Discorsi e ai Fenomeni d’Odio (National Network for Countering Hate Speech and Hate phenomena), an existing Network of 32 organizations and 11 experts, the only one of its kind in Italy. By fostering capacity building, cooperation mechanisms, and increasing public awareness, the project will ensure that CSOs can more effectively address hate speech and incidents, protect victims, and prevent future occurrences. A Permanent Observatory will provide the quantitative and qualitative data needed to design and plan counteractions while capacity-building workshops will enable CSOs to strengthen their expertise, obtain a holistic view and, consequently, implement more effective and responsive actions for their target groups. Shared and validated monitoring and evaluation tools will help CSOs and stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of their interventions. Improved mechanisms of cooperation at local and national level will be achieved through the piloting of local Inter-institutional committees. At European level, the project aims at building a stable collaboration between networks in Europe (i. e Facing Facts, Stars, Enar, No Hate Speech Movement etc.), European institutions and experts. Public events and seminars addressed to the general public and to various target groups (students, teachers, educators, journalists) will contribute at raising awareness on online and offline hatred towards specific groups, intersectional forms of discrimination and their impact on the lives of people.