New Holy See Permanent Observer to UN: Hate speech is not freedom of expression
Archbishop Christophe Z. El Kassis presented his appointment letter to UN Secretary‑General António Guterres on 16 September and delivered his first speech as the Holy See’s Permanent Observer on 17 September at a UN conference on hate speech. He warned that hate speech erodes human dignity, inflames division and can pave the way for violence, urging the rejection of all forms of intolerance and discrimination. El Kassis cited Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical _Magnifica Humanitas_, calling for mindful use of words to build a more humane civilization and promote inter‑religious and intercultural dialogue. He stressed that freedom of expression is a fundamental right, but it must be exercised responsibly so that it does not incite violence or hatred.
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Archbishop Christophe Z. El Kassis, the Holy See’s new Permanent Observer to the United Nations, used his first UN address to condemn hate speech and distinguish it from protected freedom of expression. He linked the Holy See’s position to human dignity, interreligious dialogue, and Pope Leo XIV’s call for communication free of prejudice, resentment, fanaticism, and aggression. 1
Archbishop El Kassis presented his letter of appointment to UN Secretary-General António Guterres on September 16, 2026. The following day, he addressed a Global Conference in New York focused on interreligious and intercultural dialogue, tolerance, and countering hate speech. 1
He said every person is made in the image and likeness of God and possesses an inalienable dignity that cannot be diminished by hateful expressions or ideologies. From this principle, he said, follows the moral duty to reject intolerance, discrimination, and hate speech. 1
El Kassis said hate speech aimed at individuals or communities because of religion, race, nationality, or another characteristic violates the obligation to love one’s neighbor. He described it as something that “poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution.” 1
Referring to Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, the archbishop emphasized that words are a central means of building a more humane society. He said careful speech can contribute to social peace, dialogue, tolerance, and respect for differences. 1
He also said words alone are insufficient to create peace. In his formulation, authentic tolerance is not indifference or relativism but active recognition of each person’s dignity and freedom of conscience, supported by patience, dialogue, mutual understanding, and rejection of stereotypes. 1
El Kassis affirmed that freedom of expression is a fundamental right that must be protected, while stressing that it carries responsibilities. Speech intentionally provoking violence or hatred, he argued, cannot claim the protection of liberty because it damages the conditions that allow genuine freedom to exist. 1
He connected this position to Pope Leo XIV’s call to “disarm” communication by removing prejudice, resentment, fanaticism, hatred, and aggression. The stated goal is communication capable of listening and of bringing forward the voices of vulnerable people. 1
The archbishop presented interreligious and intercultural dialogue as a principal means of overcoming prejudice and promoting a better society. His remarks placed dialogue, tolerance, respect for differences, and recognition of human dignity at the center of the Holy See’s approach to hate speech. 1
Born in Beirut on August 24, 1968, El Kassis was ordained a Maronite priest in 1994 and entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service in 2000. He served in pontifical representations in Indonesia, Sudan, and Türkiye before being appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Pakistan in 2018. 1
He received episcopal consecration on January 19, 2019, from Cardinal Pietro Parolin in St. Peter’s Basilica. Pope Leo XIV appointed him Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York on July 25, 2026. 1*
Hate speech undermines dignity; freedom of expression must be responsibly exercised
Hate speech contradicts the Catholic understanding of human dignity because it treats persons or communities as objects of contempt rather than as people created in the image of God. Every person possesses an intrinsic dignity that cannot be lost, even when moral choices obscure its expression.
Freedom of expression is therefore real but not unlimited. The Catechism teaches that freedom does not include “the putative right to say or do anything.” Speech should serve truth, justice, and the common good—not humiliation, incitement, deception, or hatred. Pope Leo XIII likewise distinguished genuine liberty from “license,” insisting that speech must be exercised with moderation and directed toward what is true and honorable.
This responsibility is especially important in public communication. Words can either open paths to encounter or distort reality until dialogue becomes impossible; firmness and disagreement do not require contempt or humiliation. Manipulative communication can also violate dignity by spreading prejudice, controlling minds, and depriving people of truth.
A Catholic response should therefore hold together two principles:
This does not mean suppressing every offensive opinion or confusing disagreement with hatred. It means exercising freedom according to truth and love of neighbor. A genuinely free society protects expression while forming citizens to speak responsibly, seek the good, and safeguard the dignity of the vulnerable.