NEW YORK, 18th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The UN Secretary-General has called for concerted action by governments, technology companies and civil society to stamp out hate speech, emphasising that “its toxic message is spreading fast and striking deep”.
António Guterres was speaking at the opening of a global conference on promoting interreligious and cultural dialogue held at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday.
“In its worst forms, hate speech incites violence, drives conflict, and contributes to the perpetration of atrocity crimes – including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing,” he said. “We have seen it happen before and we see it happening now. And we cannot let it continue.
The Secretary-General quoted from the UN Charter which commits the world’s people to “practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours”.
Although the Organisation has pushed hard to fulfill that pledge, “hate speech has always worked against this vision,” he told participants.
“And today, its toxic message is spreading fast and striking deep,” he said.
"Taking on new forms. Finding new pathways. And weaponising new technologies, from digital platforms and algorithms to Artificial Intelligence.”
He warned that the growing reach of hate speech “is testing our shared humanity” by eroding trust, dividing communities and dehumanizing entire groups. It is also attacking and weakening “our capacity for acceptance, empathy, understanding, and respect for diversity.”
“We must raise our collective voice and reject hatred. And we must redouble our efforts to tackle hate speech, online and offline,” he said.
He stressed the need to address the root causes, drivers and consequences by strengthening inclusive dialogue among nations, cultures and religions that is grounded in respect and equity.
He was also clear that “reining in hate speech does not mean extinguishing freedom of expression, but freedom of expression must never be an excuse for causing or compounding harm.”
“But we cannot conquer hate speech on our own,” he said.
“Governments, regional and multilateral organizations, the private sector, and civil society – including faith communities, academia, and the media – have a shared responsibility to help build peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.”