The Action “Hate’s off, youth speak differently” was successfully implemented in Sumy between September and October 2025, with the financial support of the European Union and the Council of Europe through the Partnership for Good Governance project "Combating hate speech in Ukraine". The project implemented by the NGO Center for Euroinitiatives, aimed to strengthen young people’s competencies in human rights, raise awareness of hate speech, and support the development of youth-led counter-narratives at local level. The initiative targeted young people aged 14–25 from the Sumy territorial community, including internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups.
The Action began with a three-day training on human rights and countering hate speech, bringing together 28 young participants. The training focused on understanding hate speech and freedom of expression, applying human rights-based approaches, developing critical thinking and empathy, and designing local initiatives.
Building on the training, participants implemented eight youth-led local initiatives in schools, youth spaces, and online platforms. Through peer-to-peer activities and awareness-raising actions, nearly 90 young people were engaged in discussions on tolerance, non-discrimination, and respectful dialogue.
The Action concluded with a public event, “Open Lab: Experience Sharing”, which gathered 80 participants, including young people, local stakeholders, and community representatives. During the event, participants presented their initiatives, shared lessons learned and discussed the role of youth engagement in countering hate speech at community level.
To ensure sustainability beyond the implementation period, an online network titled “Counter-Narrative Ambassadors” was established. The network currently includes 57 active young people and provides a platform for continued cooperation, exchange of resources, and planning of follow-up initiatives.
Overall, the project strengthened youth engagement in human rights promotion, and contributed to increased awareness and local capacity to counter hate speech in line with European standards.
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