Al-Rashoud told Al-Youm: Education is a civilizational bridge to confront hate speech and promote understanding

Dr. Noura Al-Rashoud, a faculty member at the College of Judicial Studies and Regulations at Umm Al-Qura University, affirmed in an interview with Al-Youm newspaper that education is one of the most important strategic tools for building a culture of tolerance and promoting understanding among peoples. She added that it also constitutes a fundamental pillar in confronting hate speech in all its forms, including religious and cultural hatred.
Dr. Al-Rashoud pointed out that the international community has become more aware of the seriousness of this phenomenon, which is reflected in the resolutions issued by the United Nations General Assembly, most notably Resolution 76/254, which declared March 15th as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, calling on states and international organizations to take educational and cultural measures to raise awareness of the dangers of religious hatred. The United Nations also adopted June 18th of each year as the International Day to Combat Hate Speech, emphasizing the importance of developing preventive and institutional mechanisms to address this phenomenon, which threatens social peace and human coexistence.
She explains that the international legal framework for human rights supports this approach, as Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, while Article 2 affirms the prohibition of discrimination based on religion, origin, or culture. Furthermore, Article 20 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights emphasizes the need to prohibit any advocacy of national, racial, or religious hatred if it constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence.

Al-Rashoud believes that education is a long-term preventative measure to address the root causes ofhate speech. She cites reports from the United Nations and UNESCO confirming that integrating the values ​​of tolerance and multiculturalism into educational curricula contributes to building more stable and open societies and enhances individuals' ability to deal with religious and cultural differences in positive ways. International experience has also demonstrated that interactive education and academic exchange between different cultures are among the most effective means of dismantling stereotypes and countering hate speech.
She points out that, given the rise of Islamophobia in some political and media contexts, it is essential to develop global educational initiatives that contribute to fostering a correct understanding of Islamic cultures and support the values ​​of dialogue and coexistence among civilizations. The United Nations General Assembly, in its 2022 resolution on combating Islamophobia, affirmed that confronting religious hatred requires international cooperation encompassing education, media, and academic institutions.
In contrast, Al-Rashoud points out that the Islamic world faces a number of challenges in higher education, most notably the disparity in educational quality between countries, weak coordination among universities, and the limited number of joint academic programs. She also notes the impact of political and sectarian divisions, which have contributed to weakening scientific and cultural integration among Islamic societies. Furthermore, somemedia discourse that exaggerates differences and fuels cultural conflicts increases the need for cross-border educational initiatives that foster rapprochement among Muslim peoples.
In this context, Al-Rashoud proposes drawing on successful international experiences in promoting academic cooperation, particularly the European Erasmus program, which is considered one of the world's leading models of academic exchange. Since its inception, this program has contributed to strengthening a shared European identity through the movement of millions of students and researchers between European universities, thus fostering cultural understanding and scientific integration among participating countries.
Building on this experience, she proposes launching an "Erasmus Islamic" initiative as an international academic program aimed at promoting cultural understanding andcombating hate speech within and beyond Islamic societies. The idea is based on establishing a joint educational network among universities in Islamic countries, contributing to the strengthening of Islamic cultural identity founded on the values ​​of tolerance, justice, and respect for cultural diversity.
She explains that the program could be implemented through the establishment of a specialized administrative body to oversee its design and execution, and to review the curricula of participating universities to ensure they are free of discriminatory content or hate speech, in accordance with international human rights standards. She adds that joint academic courses could also be developed, focusing on topics such as intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity, and religious tolerance, while highlighting the cultural contributions of Islamic countries in the fields of science, culture, and the humanities.
To ensure the program's success, Al-Rashoud points to the importance of launching a unified electronic platform that facilitates participation procedures and provides comprehensive information about participating universities and available programs. Simultaneously, she emphasizes the need to address potential challenges by adopting a unified Islamic framework for academic qualifications, similar to the European Qualifications Framework, thus contributing to enhanced educational integration among Islamic countries.
It affirms that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has emerged in recent years as a key player in supporting intercultural and interreligious dialogue initiatives and in developing institutional strategies to counter extremism and hatred and promote the values ​​of moderation and tolerance. National policies, particularly within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030, have emphasized the importance of building a vibrant society based on the values ​​of moderation and cultural openness, which is reflected in a number of institutional initiatives and programs aimed at disseminating a culture of dialogue and fostering understanding among peoples.