Global virtual community for teens Habbo has announced that it will be working with the Matthew Shepard Foundation, a non-profit organization promoting compassion and acceptance among young people, to educate users and promote diversity through an "Erase Hate" project.

Starting July 7th, the Matthew Shepard Foundation staff will host discussions twice a week in Habbo.com's InfoBus, a virtual room designed as the inside of a bus. Users will discuss issues such as dealing with bullying, discrimination and hate experienced on and offline and how to encourage respect among peers.

Said Sulake North America president and Sulake Corp.'s EVP of marketing, ad sales, and business development, Teemu Huuhtanen, “The Matthew Shepard Foundation is exceptionally qualified to provide support to our users as they navigate their difficult teen years. The InfoBus has always been a popular resource for our teen community and we know they will take advantage of this opportunity to share their experiences and learn new tools to foster acceptance and compassion.”

Matthew Shepard Foundation executive director Judy Shepard added : "It is a mission of the Foundation to support young people and provide them with the resources to lead healthy, productive, hate-free lives. Our partnership with Habbo will allow us to have ongoing conversations with young people about what they can do in the fight to replace hate with understanding, compassion, and acceptance.”