Hate speech has no place in society- Geingob
Hate speech fuels extremist views, plants the seeds of disunity, hatred and intolerance, leading to breaking down the fabric of basic human values, the President HE Dr Hage Geingob recently echoed.
Geingob made these remarks while co-chairing the Global Ministerial (virtual) Conference On The Role Of Education In Addressing And Building Resilience Against Hate Speech, on 26 October.
Geingob stressed that hate speech poses a great danger to efforts promoting multilateralism, cooperation, and seeking peaceful solutions to conflict.
“We believe that it is in unity that our strength lies and it is in pursuing policies of inclusion that we will build robust processes, systems and institutions that will imbue trust, confidence and cooperation in our efforts of building peaceful, prosperous and inclusive societies. Hate has no place in society. It distracts from the inherent human capacity to show compassion and uplift the human spirit,” the President added.
Geingob further said education and acculturation informative years are critical to shaping the life skills and attitudes developed later in life, adding that schools and educational institutions are important microcosms for wider society.
“Additionally, beyond, playing a directive role in framing critical thinking skills, schools also play a supportive role in modernizing attitudes. On a personal level, in advocating for unity in Namibia, I have always used the analogy that nation-building is like building a house. You begin by laying a foundation on which you construct your house, one brick at a time. You conclude by applying plaster and paint until the individual bricks are no longer visible and all that is left is a strong and sturdy house,” Geingob said.
The conference, a first of its kind, was organised by UNESCO at the initiative of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay to reinforce the struggle against online/offline hate speech and people’s instinctive quest for scapegoats which has resulted in a sharper rise in prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination.
