This year, UNESCO is dedicating the International Day of Education, on January 24, to the crucial role education and teachers play in countering hate speech, a phenomenon that has snowballed in recent years with the use of social media, damaging the fabric of our societies. UNESCO IESALC is joining the celebration with a podcast entitled "Transforming Universities to Better Combat Hate Speech."

This podcast aims to explore the role of universities in addressing and combating hate speech. It will delve into the challenges and opportunities for transforming universities into spaces that promote inclusivity, diversity, and respect while addressing the prevalence of hate speech on campuses.

Guests:

Ishaan Shah, UNESCO SDG 4 Youth and Student Network Member. At the age of 13, Ishaan Shah co-founded Stolen Dreams, a youth-led collective working with stakeholders to counter modern slavery and human trafficking through education, advocacy, and policy. Today, Ishaan is 20 years old and is a UNESCO SDG4 Youth and Student Network representative and a UN Women National Gender Youth Advocate. Through this work, Ishaan is promoting meaningful youth participation, partnership, and co-leadership in decision-making processes at all levels.

Sebastian Berger, Executive Director of the Global Student Forum (GSF). He previously held the office of Vice President in the European Students’ Union (ESU) and was a founding member of the GSF Steering Committee. Sebastian has been a vocal political representative of the international student movement for years, holding various elected leadership positions on the local, national, and international levels. He currently serves as a trustee and as the treasurer of Nobel Peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s 100 Million Campaign, and he holds the co-chairmanship of the MGOS Education and Academia Stakeholder Group in the United Nations. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in international relations and security studies.

Conducted by Bosen Lily Liu, Head of Partnership and UN Liaison Unit at UNESCO IESALC UNESCO IESALC

Video podcast: https://youtu.be/Hfmd0lkBCWs

Transforming universities to better combat hate speech

Perspectivas: Global talks on higher educationBy UNESCO IESALC Jan 23, 2024