A growing push to confront hate speech and xenophobia at their roots is taking shape in classrooms across Cameroon, as Hwalana for Peace and Development led a high-impact engagement with students at New Wave Bilingual Secondary School. The initiative, spearheaded by the organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kate Tande, brought together students, educators, and community stakeholders for an open dialogue on the dangers of divisive language and exclusion.
The session, held in collaboration with the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, also featured contributions from Emily Miki, CEO of the Dennis Miki Foundation.
Held in the presence of the school’s proprietor, Alemnge Aloysius, the event transformed the campus into a space for reflection, where students were encouraged to critically examine the role they play in shaping a more inclusive society.
Addressing the students, Dr. Tande underscored the seriousness of hate speech, describing it as more than casual or careless talk. She explained that words that target an individual’s identity, whether based on tribe, religion, nationality, or social status, can inflict deep emotional harm and reinforce discrimination. Drawing from familiar school scenarios, she pointed to behaviors such as mocking accents, spreading harmful messages online, and excluding peers as examples of how harmful language manifests in everyday life.
Emily Miki expanded the discussion to xenophobia, highlighting how fear or mistrust of others can develop even among young people. She noted that this often appears through the rejection of newcomers, bullying of students from different backgrounds, or assumptions that some groups are inherently inferior. Both speakers stressed that such attitudes, if left unchecked, can quietly shape divisions within schools and communities.
The discussion also explored the broader consequences of these behaviors. Dr. Tande warned that persistent hate speech and xenophobia can escalate into violence, deepen social divisions, and cause lasting psychological harm. She emphasized that many large-scale conflicts have historically been rooted in unchecked prejudice and hostile rhetoric.
Despite the gravity of the subject, the message delivered to students was ultimately one of responsibility and hope. The speakers encouraged young people to see themselves as active participants in building peace, capable of influencing their environment through daily choices and interactions.
They urged students to adopt respectful communication, stand against bullying, embrace diversity, and use digital platforms responsibly.
“Peace begins with how we treat one another every day,” Dr. Tande told the audience, emphasizing that fostering unity is not the sole responsibility of leaders but a shared duty that starts with individuals.
The session concluded with a renewed call for schools to serve as safe and inclusive spaces where every student feels valued.
Participants were encouraged to replace division with dialogue and to promote understanding in their communities.
As part of the campaign, students received stickers and awareness materials designed to help them continue promoting the message beyond the classroom.
The engagement in Limbe reflects a broader effort by Hwalana for Peace and Development to invest in youth as key drivers of social cohesion. By bringing these conversations directly to students, the initiative is helping to lay the groundwork for a more tolerant and unified Cameroon.
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