INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: “Hate speech and Antigypsyism in the Media”

Datum
10.03.2021 - 11.03.2021

Hate speech remains a global phenomenon which disproportionately affects Sinti and Roma around Europe and the world. Both in the traditional media outlets as well as online, in particular on social media, Sinti and Roma are victims of discriminatory and hateful discourses, misinformation, misrepresentation and fake news, all considered as manifestations of antigypsyism.

The International Conference “Hate speech and Antigypsyism in the Media”, hosted by the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) in cooperation with the Council of Europe Roma and Travellers Team and the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, will aim at examining the phenomenon of hate speech against Sinti and Roma communities and individuals. The event, held in the framework of the German Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, will build on the conclusions of the Digital Conference “UNBOXING HATE SPEECH. European Impulses for Respect and Solidarity on the Web” hosted by the German Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) on 18 February 2021. The international conference will bring together Roma and non-Roma stakeholders with relevant expertise and experience in this field as well as mainstream media stakeholders including media professionals, journalists and representatives of social media platforms, to jointly discuss the experiences of Sinti and Roma communities and individuals. The conference is divided into three thematic blocks and will focus on multiple and complementary strategies to combat hate speech and antigypsyism through reactive and preventive approaches. The conference will also reflect explicitly on the role of social media and the strategies of fighting against hate-speech online.

 

Program

10 MARCH 2021

10:00 – 10:20                     WELCOMING REMARKS

10: 20 – 13:00                    REACTIVE APPROACHES IN FIGHTING HATE SPEECH AND ANTIGYPSYISM IN THE MEDIA

10:20 – 11:40                     PANEL 1: Uncovering, monitoring and documenting hate speech and antigypsyism in the media

What are the local, national and international experiences of uncovering hate speech and
antigypsyism in the media? What strategies at the intersection of academic research, grassroots activism, public policy and intergovernmental work exist that ensure systematic monitoring and measuring of the scale of hate speech and antigypsyism in the media?

11:40 – 11:50                     BREAK

11:50 – 13:00                     PANEL 2: Taking action against hate speech and antigypsyism in the media

What can be done when hate speech in the media happens? What is the role of Roma in denouncing and litigation? What is the level of participation of Roma in media self-regulating bodies? Is existing legislation enough?

13:00 – 14:00                     BREAK

14:00 – 17:00                      PREVENTIVE APPROACHES IN FIGHTING HATE SPEECH IN THE MEDIA

14:00 – 15:15                     PANEL 3: Strategies of challenging and preventing hate speech in the media. Building a counternarrative through Roma-led media initiatives

What role do positive stories play in challenging and preventing hate speech in the media? How can we support counter-discourses in the media? What is the role Roma-led media initiatives can play?

15:15 – 15:30                     BREAK

15:30 – 16:45                     PANEL 4: Hearing the Roma voices in the mainstream media – challenges, opportunitiesand past experiences 

How can we strengthen Romani voices in mainstream media? How can we ensure more self-representation in the media? What are some positive experiences of Roma engaging with mainstream media outlets?

16:45 – 17:00                     CLOSING OF THE DAY

 

 

11 MARCH 2021

10:00 – 13:00                     ANTIGYPSYISM AND SOCIAL MEDIA/HATE-SPEECH ONLINE        

10:00 – 10:20                     INTRODUCTIONS 

10:20 – 11:30                     PANEL 5: Hate speech and antigypsyism online – Sinti and Roma experiences and counter-strategies

What are the experiences of Sinti and Roma in online spaces? What strategies exist to act against hate speech on social media? How can we build effective alliances across different stakeholders?

11:30 – 12:45                     PANEL 6: Building safe and respectful social media environment

Hate speech, in particular on social media, disproportionally affects Sinti and Roma as well as other minorities and vulnerable groups. What is the role intergovernmental organizations, internet companies as well as governments in ensuring the internet is a safe space for all? How can we guarantee Sinti and Roma participation in future initiatives aiming at regulating social media environments?

12:45 – 13:00.                   CLOSING OF THE CONFERENCE