Cape Town - Independent Media’s fifth-floor conference room hosted a language group of a different kind today, with 23 young people ready to give of their best to impress the judges in the 4th China Daily Belt and Road Youth English Speaking Competition.
The preliminary competition was co-hosted at Newspaper House by Independent Media and China Daily with the topic “As Time Goes By, All Things Are Revealed”.
The participants were learners from South Peninsula High School; Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology; and students from UCT and UWC.
Competition facilitator Iris Wu said China Daily had reached out to her to assist in partnering with a media house in Cape Town, which led to the involvement of Independent Media.
The competition began in 2019, with China Daily, the main organiser and sponsor, and the finals hosted in Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Chengdu in China.
“The main objectives of this competition are to improve the cultural communication among youth from One Road and One Belt Countries and also to enhance the friendship between those countries,” Wu said.
Contestants were required to convince the three judges of the soundness of their arguments/views, display meaningful speech, and leave listeners satisfied following their speech.
UWC International Relations Student Mobility co-ordinator Debra Lamson said: “I'm in awe of the young minds that had come with their script either in memory that they had put together or on pieces of paper or in the way that they presented themselves.
“We want learners to be world smart so there is a resemblance here of understanding where we’re coming from and where we want to be.”
Cash prizes included R3 000 for the top contestant, R2 000 for second contestants and R1 000 for third contestants, with all other participants receiving certificates.