2011: At an international conference focused on fighting global intolerance, Hannah Rosenthal, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, and Farah Pandith, Special Representative to Muslim Communities, each prepared official statements condemning hate in their respective Jewish and Muslim communities.   

 

As the delegation was called to present their drafted speeches, Rosenthal and Pandith decided to swap statements – this resulted in Rosenthal condemning hatred of Muslims, and Pandith condemning anti-Semitism. This simple, yet powerful action resonated with people across the world. In fact, it ended up growing into a social media initiative that they named Hours Against Hate.

 

Rosenthal and Pandith found it imperative to continue fostering the momentum, so they began to expand on the concept. They decided to ask young people to pledge a single hour of their month that would focus on building a relationship with someone they otherwise would not know – someone who looks, lives, loves or prays differently from themselves  – in order to grow in cultural understanding and promote acceptance.