The new permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, spoke this Thursday, September 17, in New York at the World Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech. In his address, the Lebanese-born archbishop stated that speech against individuals or communities based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, or any other characteristic poisons public debate, fuels divisions, and undermines freedom.
The conference was organized by the Kingdom of Morocco, the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect (OSAPG), and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. During his intervention, Archbishop El-Kassis reiterated that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and possesses an inviolable dignity that no ideology—whether an ideology of hate or an expression of contempt—can diminish. From this fundamental truth, he said, arises the moral imperative to reject all forms of intolerance, discrimination, and incitement to hatred that wounds the human family and undermines the conditions for peaceful coexistence.
The Vatican representative was clear in pointing out that hate speech, whether directed against individuals or communities because of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, or any other characteristic, contradicts the commandment to love one’s neighbor, poisons public debate, fuels divisions, and all too often paves the way for violence and persecution. He also stressed that by disarming words, the first steps are taken to weave the fabric of social peace and promote a culture of dialogue, tolerance, and respect for differences.
In his address, Archbishop El-Kassis echoed what Leo XIV had already expressed in his encyclical Magnifica humanitas: “The first contribution we can make to a more human civilization is to pay attention to our words… The power of words is enormous, and we experience it in our daily communication.” The archbishop presented his letter of appointment to UN Secretary-General António Guterres on September 16, precisely one day before his intervention.
The permanent observer also addressed the relationship between freedom of expression and responsibility. He stated that true tolerance is not indifference or relativism, but the active recognition of the equal dignity of every person and the freedom of conscience that belongs to each one. It requires the patient effort of dialogue, mutual understanding, and the rejection of stereotypes. In this spirit, the Holy See promotes interreligious and intercultural dialogue as an essential path to overcoming prejudices and building a better world for all. Freedom of expression is a fundamental right that must be protected; however, it carries corresponding responsibilities. Speech that deliberately incites hatred or violence cannot claim the protection of freedom; on the contrary, it undermines the very conditions in which true freedom can flourish.
Context and Relevance
Archbishop El-Kassis’s intervention comes at a time when the Holy See insists on the need to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue as a tool to counter hate speech. The conference, held in New York, brought together representatives of various international bodies and was organized by the Kingdom of Morocco, OSAPG, and the UN Alliance of Civilizations. In this framework, the Vatican representative reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to social peace and human dignity, emphasizing that respect for differences and attention to words are concrete steps toward building peaceful coexistence.
El-Kassis’s words echo the teaching of Leo XIV in Magnifica humanitas, underscoring that the power of words is enormous and that their responsible use is a fundamental contribution to a more human civilization. The Holy See, through its permanent observer, urged the international community to reject all forms of intolerance and to work actively for a dialogue that overcomes prejudices and stereotypes, in line with the commandment to love one’s neighbor.
Original source: www.vaticannews.va (published on September 18, 2026)
