- A working paper presented at today's South Darfur Intellectual Forum emphasized that the media can play a pivotal role in curbing hate speech by instilling values of tolerance, promoting dialogue, and adhering to professional and ethical responsibility in publishing balanced and objective media content.

The paper, titled "The Role of Media in Curbing the Spread of Hate Speech", was prepared by media expert Ibrahim Musa Al-Bashir and presented by journalist Khalid Abdelrahman Teks. It called for the enactment of effective laws and regulations criminalizing hate speech and the issuance of guidance manuals for journalists.

The paper also recommended establishing a national authority to regulate and oversee digital media content, creating an observatory to monitor and analyse hate speech, and training journalists on sensitive coverage of community elections.

It stressed the importance of engaging community stakeholders in producing media content that reflects cultural and ethnic diversity, while underlining positive stories and respect for societal diversity. Furthermore, it highlighted the media's role in fostering tolerance, raising awareness, and shaping public opinion toward values of understanding, love, and peace. The paper also underlined the necessity of adhering to professional and ethical standards in media publishing.