Words Can Hurt, Words Can Connect: Exploring Hate Speech During an International Youth Exchange
Words have the power to divide — but they can also connect, empower, and open spaces for dialogue.
This idea guided the training on hate speech “Words Can Hurt, Words Can Connect”, delivered on 6 July 2025 in Portici (Naples) during an international youth exchange promoted by OFAJ/DFJW, focused on democracy and media.
Within this vibrant intercultural setting, the project coordinator team – Associazione Caleidoscopio joined the exchange to facilitate a one-day training session dedicated to understanding how hate speech manifests in different social and cultural contexts, both online and offline.
The activity brought together 25 participants — 20 young people and 5 youth workers — from Italy, France and Germany, creating a shared space for reflection, listening, and peer learning.
Through experiential workshops and non-formal education methods, participants worked together to recognise, analyse and map hate speech in their own national contexts. Group work and peer-to-peer exchange allowed personal experiences to emerge, highlighting similarities and differences in how young people encounter and respond to hateful narratives.
During the training, the project “Generative AI – Youth Sector Challenges and Impact” was introduced by the coordinator team. Participants were presented with the project’s objectives and the first insights from the comparative study on hate speech, opening a collective discussion on how ethical and responsible AI could support youth work and help counter hate speech in digital environments.
The session did not end with answers, but with questions, ideas, and connections. Reflections gathered during the workshop will contribute to the ongoing development of the project’s app, ensuring that digital tools are grounded in real experiences and shaped by the voices of young people themselv