The United Nations has renewed its call for stronger cooperation among governments, civil society, educators and technology platforms to combat hate speech, warning that discriminatory and divisive rhetoric continues to threaten peace, social cohesion and respect for diversity across the world.
Marking the International Day for Countering Hate Speech on Thursday, June 18, 2026, the UN said tackling the growing challenge requires a collective effort that goes beyond governments and involves all sections of society. The organisation stressed that dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect remain essential in preventing discrimination and social divisions.
The UN said efforts to address hate speech continue to be guided by the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, which promotes collective responsibility and coordinated action among different sectors of society.
It also pointed to General Assembly Resolution A/RES/79/316, adopted in June 2025, which “encourages Member States to consider initiatives that identify areas for practical action in all sectors and levels of society for the promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, tolerance, understanding and cooperation” as a means of countering hate speech.
According to the organisation, the impact of hate speech affects entire communities, making broad participation necessary in efforts to address the problem.
“The UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech underscores the importance of partnerships in the fight against hate speech. Indeed, as hate speech affects the whole society, a whole-of-society approach is necessary to address this phenomenon.”
The UN said promoting respect for diversity and strengthening dialogue between communities are critical in addressing prejudice and preventing social tensions from deepening.
“The UN Strategy stresses the need to raise awareness about respect for human rights, non-discrimination, coexistence, acceptance and respect for diversity and understanding of other cultures and religions, as well as the promotion of intercultural, interfaith and interreligious dialogue.”
The organisation warned that the challenge has become even more pressing as conflicts continue to increase around the world.
“This is most resonant in the current context of rising conflicts globally, both in their frequency and intensity as well as in the ways in which hate speech is used to fuel them,” the UN stated.
The UN cautioned that hate speech can contribute to violence and instability if left unchecked, saying stronger measures are needed to prevent harmful narratives from spreading.
“To protect all those at risk of hate speech, which can lead to incitement to violence, there is an urgent need to further strengthen practical approaches and tools, and scalable strategies to break the cycles of hate, elevate empathy, and acceptance, and respect for diversity as critical pillars in any society.”
The organisation highlighted education, media engagement, digital literacy, monitoring systems, data collection and the use of innovative technologies as key tools in addressing harmful narratives and building more informed societies.
It added that partnerships remain vital in developing effective responses and strengthening the information environment.
The UN further noted that partnerships are critical in creating “practical tools and approaches for countering hate speech and other noxious narratives and contribute to a healthy information ecosystem.”
The International Day for Countering Hate Speech was established following a 2021 United Nations General Assembly resolution that raised concern over what it described as “the exponential spread and proliferation of hate speech” and designated June 18 as the annual day of observance.
As part of this year's commemoration, the UN encouraged governments, international organisations, civil society groups and individuals to support initiatives aimed at identifying, addressing and countering hate speech.
The organisation stressed that everyone has a role to play in confronting intolerance and preventing harmful rhetoric from taking root in society.
“We all have the moral duty of speaking out firmly against instances of hate speech and play a crucial role in countering this scourge.”