Art as a Tool for Fighting Online and Offline Hate Speech

Art can provide counter narratives against hate speech; 

Art provides young people an opportunity to get involved and fully express themselves. Art-based tools support the development of young people’s creativity and provide an opportunity for different types of expressions e.g., through photos, theatre, or creative writing. It means that young people can experience a variety of tools. Moreover, the tools can be based even on using non-verbal communities e.g., theatre. It means that even for young people who do not feel comfortable to fully use English there is an opportunity to express themselves and with others their perceptions and opinions.

Overall, youth exchange addresses following needs: 

- the need to provide young people an opportunity to explore the topic of online and offline hate speech to make them able to recognize hate speech around them and address it;

- the need to equip young people with the information where to seek help if facing hate speech and dealing with its consequences;

- the need to support the development of intercultural understanding between the participants as a way of addressing stereotypes, prejudices;

- the need to provide young people an opportunity to meet up with their peers from other countries and learn more about realities in Europe;