Amalipe launches FACTS project to tackle anti-Roma hate speech online
On 14 October 2026, Budapest hosted the kick-off meeting of FACTS – Fighting Antigypsyism and Cyber haTe Speech, a project addressing antigypsyism and online hate speech. Amalipe Center was represented by Rosen Rusev, Teodora Krumova and Deyan Kolev.
The project is coordinated by Minority Rights Group Europe, Hungary, in partnership with the Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance “Amalipe”, Bulgaria, and the Human Rights Institute, Slovakia. FACTS builds on the three organisations’ joint work under COACH – Countering Online Antigypsyism and Cyberhate, with a strong focus on student participation and support for teachers.
How can young people recognise online hate, verify information and respond to offensive and discriminatory messages? These are some of the questions the partners will address. The project understands antigypsyism as prejudice, hostility and discrimination against Roma because of their ethnic background. On social media, it can take the form of degrading generalisations, false claims and messages that portray an entire community as guilty or unwelcome.
During the meeting, the partners discussed the activities, working arrangements and lessons from their previous initiatives. Amalipe’s presentation highlighted prejudice in schools, including lower expectations of Roma students that limit their opportunities to develop. The discussion also addressed the importance of recognising discrimination and knowing where to turn for support.
In Bulgaria, work will begin with the preparation of training manuals for students and teachers, planned for completion by the end of 2026. They will cover practical topics such as recognising fake news, checking facts, staying safe from cyberbullying and creating content that challenges prejudice. In January, February and March 2027, Amalipe plans to run pilot training sessions for a total of 100 students from five schools, involving both Roma and non-Roma young people.
Training for 50 teachers is planned for October 2027, at the beginning of the next school year. Afterwards, the teachers will run 50 workshops in their schools, each involving at least 20 students. The aim is to bring the learning to more classrooms and equip teachers with practical approaches to supporting children affected by online hate and bullying.
Young people will also create videos, images and other materials that challenge anti-Roma stereotypes. Ten student-created materials in Bulgaria will receive awards and be
shared through a six-month online campaign. Particular attention will be paid to equality between girls and boys and to the prejudice Roma women and girls face because of both their gender and ethnic background.
Monitoring of anti-Roma hate speech on social media is also planned to begin in early 2027. It will combine an artificial intelligence tool with human review to identify recurring messages and trends. The information collected will be handled with care for the anonymity and safety of the people concerned. The findings will inform a report and recommendations to institutions.
The project also includes meetings with institutions, a national conference in Bulgaria and joint European advocacy activities. These will allow the partners to present findings from the monitoring and their work with students and teachers, and to discuss concrete measures against anti-Roma hate speech. For Amalipe, this is an opportunity to connect the experiences of schools and Roma communities with decisions made at national and European level.
FACTS is supported by the European Union under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
