Nasser Bourita urges global action against hate speech at UN conference

Morocco placed dialogue and tolerance at the center of an international discussion on hate speech on Thursday, as Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita co-chaired a global conference at United Nations headquarters in New York.

Held on September 17, 2026, ahead of the high-level week of the 81st UN General Assembly session, the meeting brought together governments, UN bodies, religious representatives, civil society actors and other stakeholders to examine ways of countering hate speech through interreligious and intercultural dialogue. The conference was co-organized by the Kingdom of Morocco, the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, and the UN Alliance of Civilizations.

The event builds on a series of UN initiatives addressing intolerance, discrimination and hate speech. The United Nations has identified dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation across society as key elements in efforts to reduce the impact of hateful rhetoric and strengthen peaceful, inclusive communities.

Bourita calls for sustained international action

Opening the conference, Bourita argued that the international debate over hate speech should not be treated as a temporary response to individual crises. In his view, recurring incidents of intolerance demonstrate the need for sustained collective action to protect human dignity and prevent social divisions from deepening.

The Moroccan minister linked the spread of hostility to several factors, including limited knowledge of other communities, inherited prejudices and social and economic vulnerabilities. He also warned that such fears can be politically exploited, particularly when individual acts are used to stigmatize entire religious or cultural groups.

Bourita further raised concerns about the normalization of hateful rhetoric within public debate, including when statements come from political figures who have previously held government responsibilities. He stressed the responsibility of political, religious and intellectual leaders to prevent religion and identity from being turned into instruments of exclusion.

Morocco highlights its approach to religious coexistence

The conference also provided Morocco with an opportunity to present its national experience as part of the wider international debate.

Bourita referred to Morocco's constitutional framework and its conception of a plural national identity incorporating Arab-Islamic, Amazigh and Sahrawi-Hassani components, alongside African, Andalusian, Hebrew and Mediterranean influences.

He also highlighted the role of the institution of Imarat Al Mouminine and King Mohammed VI's constitutional role as guarantor of the free exercise of religious worship.

According to the Moroccan position presented at the conference, the country's historical experience includes centuries of coexistence among Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities. This historical narrative is presented by Rabat as part of the foundation for its contemporary approach to religious and intercultural dialogue.

From national experience to multilateral diplomacy

Morocco's involvement in the conference also reflects its longer engagement with the issue within the United Nations.

UN records show that Morocco has sponsored or promoted several General Assembly initiatives concerning interreligious and intercultural dialogue and the fight against hate speech. These include Resolution 73/328, adopted in 2019, and Resolution 75/309, adopted in 2021, which established June 18 as the International Day for Countering Hate Speech.

More recently, General Assembly Resolution 79/316 encouraged practical initiatives across different sectors and levels of society to promote dialogue, tolerance, understanding and cooperation as tools for countering hate speech.

The 2026 conference itself follows a General Assembly process that scheduled the meeting for September 17, after an earlier plan to convene it in 2025 was not implemented. A 2026 UN record notes that the decision was intended to provide a practical framework for bringing together member states, UN entities, religious leaders, civil society and other stakeholders.

Five priorities for confronting hate speech

Bourita outlined five areas that Morocco considers important for international action.

They include educating societies to respect differences, making interreligious and intercultural dialogue part of everyday social life, strengthening responsibility in public discourse, advancing fairness and equal opportunities, and addressing hate speech in the digital environment.

The emphasis on digital platforms reflects the changing way hateful content can circulate. The United Nations has itself noted that online platforms can accelerate the spread of harmful messages, making cooperation between governments, institutions, civil society and technology actors increasingly relevant.

For Morocco, the challenge therefore extends beyond diplomatic declarations. It involves education, public communication, social inclusion and digital responsibility, with the stated objective of creating conditions in which differences are addressed through dialogue rather than exclusion.

A broader international challenge

The New York meeting comes as the United Nations prepares for the 81st General Assembly high-level week, scheduled for September 18–28, 2026.

The conference places Morocco within a broader multilateral effort to address intolerance and hate speech through preventive measures and dialogue. Its central message is that combating hateful rhetoric requires sustained cooperation across political institutions, religious communities, civil society and the digital sphere.

For Rabat, the initiative also represents a continuation of its engagement with international efforts promoting intercultural understanding, religious coexistence and social cohesion.