Inter-regional Conference was successfully organized by the Western Balkans Fund, supported by the Embassy of Japan together with the International Visegrad Fund
2022/3/3
From 1-3 March 2022, The Inter-regional Conference “Promote culture of tolerance and mutual respect within the region” was organized in Tirana, Albania by the Western Balkans Fund with the support from the Embassy of Japan together with the International Visegrad Fund
Many media experts, journalists, academics, civil society representatives, students attended the conference from both regions, in person and online. Also politicians and former Ministers from the region attended the event as panelists.
The participants had fruitful discussions on the impact of hate speech on the Western Balkans and Visegrad societies, especially towards the members of the most vulnerable groups such, young people, women, children, or minorities. The conference also touched upon the use of hate speech as a means to incite violence, undermine social cohesion and tolerance, and promote hatred among community and the way how to address the hate speech.
This is the first time that the IVF and Japan work together to financially support the Western Balkans Fund and find common ground for cooperation within the Western Balkan’s region. The IVF provided support to this project by bringing experts from the Visegrad region, to share their experiences and challenges in terms of countering hate speech and defamation. Their support also comes under the common approach of “V4 plus Japan” cooperation. This project is an excellent example of Japan’s and V4 cooperation in the Western Balkans.
Japan’s support comes within the framework of the Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative, launched by former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, in January 2018. This is the 3rd project funded by the Embassy of Japan and implemented by the Western Balkans Fund. In February 2020, the Embassy supported to organizing the first Western Balkan Civil Society Summit and in March 2021, the Embassy supported a project assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the sustainability of Civil Society Organizations in the Western Balkan region.
Many media experts, journalists, academics, civil society representatives, students attended the conference from both regions, in person and online. Also politicians and former Ministers from the region attended the event as panelists.
The participants had fruitful discussions on the impact of hate speech on the Western Balkans and Visegrad societies, especially towards the members of the most vulnerable groups such, young people, women, children, or minorities. The conference also touched upon the use of hate speech as a means to incite violence, undermine social cohesion and tolerance, and promote hatred among community and the way how to address the hate speech.
This is the first time that the IVF and Japan work together to financially support the Western Balkans Fund and find common ground for cooperation within the Western Balkan’s region. The IVF provided support to this project by bringing experts from the Visegrad region, to share their experiences and challenges in terms of countering hate speech and defamation. Their support also comes under the common approach of “V4 plus Japan” cooperation. This project is an excellent example of Japan’s and V4 cooperation in the Western Balkans.
Japan’s support comes within the framework of the Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative, launched by former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, in January 2018. This is the 3rd project funded by the Embassy of Japan and implemented by the Western Balkans Fund. In February 2020, the Embassy supported to organizing the first Western Balkan Civil Society Summit and in March 2021, the Embassy supported a project assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the sustainability of Civil Society Organizations in the Western Balkan region.