From 18 to 20 March 2026, the Council of Europe Office in Venice hosted the cross-regional seminar “Closing resident capacity building for the no-hate Young European Ambassadors”, as part of the EU and Council of Europe joint initiative "Block the Hatred, Share the Love 2.0."
This high-level event gathers Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) from East and South East Europe to spearhead effective strategies for combating hate speech and championing equality across the continent, with an attention to the local level.The seminar was officially opened by Mario Schwetz, Director of the Council of Europe Office in Venice, and Angela Longo, Head of the Anti-discrimination Cooperation Unit. In their welcome address, they highlighted how the prohibition of discrimination is not just a legal standard within the European Convention on Human Rights, but a core value embedded in all Council of Europe policies.
Under the umbrella of the European standards on promoting equality, the initiative follows a dual mission: to equip young leaders with the practical tools needed to counter hatred in both public and digital spaces and to foster a more tolerant and respectful culture where every young person feels safe and included, regardless of their background or personal characteristics.
This activity is a key component of the broader co-operation between the European Union and the Council of Europe. It operates under two major joint programmes: “The Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and “The Partnership for Good Governance”.
