The Secretary General, SG, of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism (NCPBM), Dr. Chi Asafor Cornelius, has assessed the fight against hate speech and xenophobia in the Far North Region.   The exercise, he said, seeks to assess the effectiveness of activities carried out under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with civil society organisations aimed at promoting peace, national cohesion, and peaceful coexistence.   During a meeting in Maroua last Tuesday , Commission officials and representatives of the Association for the Promotion of Patriotism in Cameroon took part. The visit forms part of the Commission’s efforts to evaluate the implementation of activities by civil society partners and strengthen strategies for combating hate speech at the grassroots.   Dr. Chi Asafor explained that the evaluation comes as the current MoU draws to a close, making it necessary to verify whether reports submitted by the partner organization reflect the realities on the ground. He noted that the findings would help identify gaps and reorient strategies to improve future implementation.   With municipal and parliamentary elections approaching, the Secretary General stressed the need to reinforce the role of civil society in preventing the spread of hate speech and safeguarding social harmony. He added that the Commission has also engaged traditional rulers and youths by distributing awareness materials and encouraging them to champion peace and reject xenophobia.   The Coordinator of the Association for the Promotion of Patriotism in Cameroon, Mboake Honoré, said the organisation has promoted patriotic values, peaceful coexistence and national cohesion since 2019.   He noted that, with the Commission’s logistical support, the Association conducts awareness campaigns during holiday football tournaments, cultural festivals, community radio programmes and traditional gatherings. Mboake also said they have been translating messages into local languages to ensure they reach grassroots populations.   The Coordinator said the partnership has contributed to reducing hate speech and xenophobia across the Far North, while strengthening national unity and peaceful coexistence.     By, Ngake Nguemengni Amourette