Yemen Triumphs in International Contest

The final of the 26th annual International Public Speaking Competition took place, in May, at the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, and was the culmination of a week-long programme of events. The winner's trophy was lifted by Ali Hussein Saleh Mohammed from Yemen, whose speech Planning for a World with Light Water highlighted some of the environmental problems facing the global community. Yemen participated in the competition for the first time last year. Ali will return to London later in the year to receive a certificate from the President of the English Speaking Union, HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.

Runner-up was Vikram Joshi from Australia, who also won the Audience's Choice Award, and the prize for the best Non-Native English Speaker was presented to Xing Chen of China.

The theme for speeches in this year's competition was Dynamic Earth, and the diversity and quality to this brief impressed the judges of both the Grand Final and the Heats, which took place in the morning at Dartmouth House.

Since its inception in 1981 with just four countries participating, the International Public Speaking Competition has gone from strength to strength. This year we welcomed 59 students from 34 different countries, each of whom had already achieved success in their own national competitions. The competition is not only a showcase for some of the most exceptional public speakers from around the globe, but is also an opportunity for young people to meet and gain an understanding of each other's backgrounds and beliefs.

Judging the Grand Final were Sir Brian Fall, former British Ambassador to Russia, who chaired the Panel, Professor Stanley Wells, one of Britain's foremost Shakespearean scholars, Lady Boyd, author and Chairman of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and Mr. Robert Rowland, former Editor of BBC's Panorama.

During the week in London, participants enjoyed the chance to learn more about our sponsors during the tour of the HSBC's global headquarters in Canary Wharf. They also took part in a mock parliamentary debate, visited the House of Commons, and attended a performance of The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre.

This was preceded by a talk with the show's director, Robert Herford, a former ESU scholar.

Many of the participants spent the weekend following the final with ESU members in different parts of England. This is a highly valued part of the programme, and we would like to thank the host families and Branches who gave financial support to the participants, those who judged during the heats, and ESU Colchester Branch member David Watson who kindly filmed the Grand Final.

"I am so happy about being part of the programme in London more than winning. I had a golden opportunity to make friends with students form around the Globe. Being a winner of the International Public Speaking Competition is a great achievement. It is an accomplishment for all the Yemenis, and I am proud to bring Yemen to the top of the world and this is the least I could for my country"
Ali Hussein Saleh Mohammed

(L-R) Vikram Joshi (Australia, Runner-up and Audience Choice; Ali Hussein Saleh Mohammed (Yemen), Winner; Xing Chen (China), Best Non-Native English Speaker

Judges and participants at the International Public Speaking Competition