International Day for Tolerance, November 16, this year shows even more how much the world needs mutual understanding, cooperation, respect… a need for commitment and joint action in overcoming the health crisis due to Covid-19.

Precisely the fear, restrictions for protection and security of the citizens, purposely or not, are endangering human rights and freedoms, which leads to intolerance, hatred, hate crimes, and often violence.

Unfortunately, even in these days when solidarity and mutual assistance and understanding are more than needed, we as a society, are facing hate speech on a daily basis, with discrimination, prejudice and divisions, with calls for violence and frequent violation of human rights and freedoms throughout the world. War zones do not subside, while the tragedies of refugees cannot be described in words.

When in 1996 UNESCO proclaimed November 16 as International Day for Tolerance, it had in consideration all documents and international acts for the protection and respect for human rights and freedoms, starting from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the conventions signed and accepted by member states of the United Nations.

The Declaration of Principles on Tolerance in addition to calling for strengthening public awareness on the dangers of intolerance, also promotes the universal human rights and freedoms, respect, acceptance and appreciation of diversity, will and ability to reach unity in diversity regardless of political, religious, racial, sexual and other beliefs.

CIVIL recognizes the efforts and political will for building the strategy “One society for all”, which incorporates the Principles on Tolerance and calls on the institutions at the local and national level to take measures and responsibility for those principles, as well as the Strategy, to be fully implemented in practice. It is especially important to abandon the practice of impunity for spreading hatred, as well as hate crimes.

Citizens are called to foster mutual solidarity, respect and understanding, to respect diversity in their everyday communication and in educating the young generations.

Educational and cultural institutions, the media and civil society are among the most called upon to implement programs for educating the young generations on the need for building tolerance, inclusive and peaceful society in which diversity is respected as a quality and advantage.

CIVIL calls on all citizens to join the initiative “United in Diversity”, everyone together to build a society in which diversity and European values are respected.

CIVIL Communication Team