To wrap up the HATE-LESS Train the Trainer Spain series, Evolutionary Archetypes Consulting SL hosted its fourth interactive online workshop on 18 June 2026. 

Held on the International Day of Countering Hate Speech (#NoToHate), the session united youth workers, trainers, and young people to explore activities inspired by the HATE-LESS Toolkit.

 

Guided by the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, which highlights the critical importance of collaborating and creating networks to fight hate speech, our participants developed actionable, creative digital skills through non-formal learning methodologies.

 

The Hummingbird Mission: Discovering Individual Agency

Our workshop opened with an energising reflection called The Hummingbird Mission, inspired by an ancient story:

 

“In the ancient story about the hummingbird, a forest is on fire. The animals stand nearby, overwhelmed by the flames. One tiny hummingbird flies back and forth, carrying drops of water toward the fire.”

 

Rather than remaining overwhelmed by toxic online spaces, we asked our participants a central question: “What can I create that helps shift the story?” Using live Mentimeter polls, everyone shared immediate messages of kindness using only emojis, building a supportive and positive community baseline for the day.

 

Strategy: Use Water, Not Fire

Through a guided visualisation exercise, the group observed a real-world scenario in which a young person encountered a harmful, biased message online. In the visualisation, a hummingbird arrives with a single drop of water, asking: “What can we do to help reduce fear and hate?”

 

Instead of fighting fire with fire, participants reflected on how choosing a calm, structured response cools hostile digital spaces down and actively reduces harm. 

Using Mentimeter reflections, the learners mapped practical tools to figure out exactly what helps “put out the fire” when hate starts spreading across social feeds.

 

Confronting Stereotypes and Finding Alternative Narratives

During the main activity, learners participated in a Finding Counter-Narratives Poll via Mentimeter. They broke down three challenging online scenarios to determine the best ways to deconstruct deep-seated biases:

• Narrative 1: Deconstructing Gender Stereotypes.
• Narrative 2: Overturning Cultural or Religious Stereotypes.
• Narrative 3: Safely intervening in online Exclusion or Mockery.

 

The LOVE Video Practice

To turn these reflections into active media creation, the group utilised the LOVE framework, a step-by-step strategy for building effective counter-narratives, answering the following questions:

• L – Look: What harmful pattern or message do we see online without amplifying it?
• O – Open: What emotions or experiences might this message open up for the people who see it?
• V – Voice: What positive, truthful, and inclusive counter-narrative can we make visible instead?
• E – Empower: What responsible action can we encourage instead?

Using this framework, the youth workers and young leaders co-wrote an original script and recorded a collaborative participatory video to inspire digital tolerance.

 

As Mahatma Gandhi once beautifully stated: “Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him with love.”

 

Watch the Collaborative Video

The final video stands as a moving collective call for digital empathy, mutual respect, and cultural awareness.

 

🎬 Watch the participatory video on YouTube: 

https://youtube.com/shorts/yYAvztIX7j8

 

The Core Message:

“Sometimes, online, we see messages or patterns that are biased towards only negative characteristics of the individual. This kind of content leaves a heavy emotional impact. But there is a better path to take: one that focuses on understanding others before we pass judgment, and posting before we react. So instead of getting brainwashed and falling in the cattle’s line, we have to raise awareness about cultural standards and values to ensure such a tolerant community. We at least have ourselves to count on. And if we all, deep down, love each other, theoretically, we can count on each other. Today, on the International Day of Countering Hate Speech, let’s choose to follow what we love and spread that love—and less hate. Let’s choose more love, less hate.”

 

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: 

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

 

Funding Agency: JUGEND für Europa

Learn more about HATE-LESS: https://hate-less.eu