Beyond the strict politics in several European countries to strike and stop the hate crimes, is being clearly, that those measures are not being enough to build a tolerant society. And because it has been visible that is not only through the law that we can solve this problematic, we believe that to build a more tolerant and inclusive society we need first to create and share a common understanding of the hate phenomenon. By sharing personal experiences, understanding the intrapersonal and interpersonal aspects of this issue and by studying the social causes and consequences that affects not only young survivors of hate speech, but also oppressors, and in ultimate case all society, we may create a deep and clear understanding of the hate speech, what can be the way to generate more effective measures to foster a society more open and inclusive for all. With this project, we aim to RAISE awareness of hate speech crimes among the community and local institutions and give support and tools to pursuit more justice and equality regarding to this subject. Is still important to keep spreading and make clear that the violation of the right to live with no fear and intimidation is a crime, as the violation of any other Human Right. Is a priority of the project to help to address diversity and promote ownership of shared values of equality and non-discrimination,finding powerful solutions to decrease hate speech crimes and to foster social inclusion creating a more aware,cohesive and inclusive society. No matter cultural, religious, gender, aged, racial differences, we look to achieve the identities’ affirmation of the youth through the work together with other youth workers, with professionals and with local institutions, giving them tools of empowerment and of support for other youth. The importance to carry this project transnational is to RAISE up the EU values and to promote awarenessof them and creating a more inclusive Europe with no hate for the differences in a mixed and diverse Europe that sometimes it shows intolerant and unstable. On a first phase of the project, investigation, analysis and consultation of data will be conducted. The findings of the IO1 activities will be published in the format of a study that will serve as the basis of subsequent project activities for all Partners. IO1 will mainly identify specific causes and consequences of hate crimes and possible exintent solutions. Secondly, we will gather professionals/ youth workers that will take an active role on the construction of a Toolbox for youth workers to build (and help to build) resilience of young people against hate speech by sharing knowledge and experience, by delivering workshops among local Partners and discussing the problematic to build a collection of the best practices and tools for the toolbox. On the third phase of the project, the Raise up training! (IO3) will be delivered with the aim of, through comics creation, the identities’s expression and affirmation of youth, including young survivors.By delivering this training, we will create a safe environment for the participants to discuss deep concernings, thoughts and feelings regarding hate speech/crimes with no fear, and encourage them to take an active role on their own communities to promote and foster social inclusion as provide tools of self impowerment and of support for other youth. For the elaboration of the Policy Recommendations (IO4), consultation sessions will be made among policy makers and local institutions. Their feedback will be crucial to make progress on the construction of this IO. RAISE! will continue to make an impact on the target groups and on our communities after the lifetime of the project due to the actions taken during project implementation to engage a significant number of multipliers across the active members of society committed to keep fostering social inclusion. We will ensure the outcomes are made available - user friendly and easily adapted for different learning environments through the website in a first instance. We will promote the benefits of the innovative ways to disseminate EU values of equality and nondiscrimination and co-production methodology via continued engagement with networks of associate Partners.
We looked to empower the youth on their achievement of higher levels of self-confidence and on the affirmation of their identities through the work together with youth workers and institutions (through education), giving them tools to empower themselves and to empower the work of the professionals that work with discriminated targeted groups. The general objective was to explore and develop innovative and effective ways to address hate speech in Europe, contributing to more equal, intercultural and inclusive youth local communities, also increasing the awareness of hate speech crimes and making clear that the violation of the right to live with no fear and intimidation is a crime as the violation of any other Human Right. So we focused to encourage young communities to become agents of change through local and European initiatives, planned at European level, aimed at tackling discrimination and promoting social inclusion.
We applied for this project studying the Hate speech as a violation of the human rights and a social phenomenon with deep causes, that usually emerges from particular contexts of unequal social and power relations in society and when social norms and privileges of some are challenged (de Latour, Nina Perger, Ron Salaj, Tocchi and Viejo Otero, '17). Hate speech affects thousands of people every year, half of the times is followed by physical attacks and the damages that it causes not only to the victims, but also to a whole community are immeasurable. In addition we analysed that in several European countries the measures and policies to strike and stop the hate crimes are not efficient enough. So not only through the law we can solve this problem, but by studying the social causes and consequences that affect not only the bullied youth but also the oppressors the partnership created a deep and clear understanding of hate speech. Indeed by having a deeper understanding we might find more alternatives to deal with all involved parts on this subject and act in order to create a more cohesive and inclusive society.