New York, Sept. 18 -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for concerted action by governments, technology companies and civil society to tackle hate speech, warning that "its toxic message is spreading fast and striking deep" and that hateful narratives are taking new forms through digital platforms, algorithms and Artificial Intelligence.

Addressing the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech in New York on Thursday (local time), Guterres said countering hate speech was essential to fulfilling the promise of the United Nations Charter to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

"It is my great honour to welcome you to this global confer...