The most popular topics were those on international and domestic issues, including gender discrimination, environmental pollution, waste of resources and local wars and regional conflicts. Speeches like “The coexistence of opportunities and problems in the world” and “The world’s contradictions” serve as reflections of the speakers’ thinking on current challenges and opportunities. Another speech “The world in a British young man’s view”represents the young generation’s concerns about the existing problems of their own countries. There are also speeches like “Successors” in which proposals and aspirations are talked about on the future of the world.
Cultural conflict, understanding and interfusion are eternal themes for international students. Differences make culture wonderful and culture lives for inclusiveness. In “Broadening horizons and overcoming prejudice”, the contestant talked about the understanding from a single culture to a diverse culture; in "Turkey and China”, a comparison of cultures in Turkey and China is givenin terms of diet, language, and customs; in “Funny things in learning Chinese”, the speaker talks about embarrassed situations as a new arrival in China. In addition, concerns for the identity of foreign citizens with Chinese origin wasalso quite a resonant topic. All these speeches based on their life with nuanced perception and coupled with rational thinking indicated thatmutual benefit and win-win situation would be achieved through listening, learning, and communicating with others with respect.
Other outstanding presentations showed the students' experience and understanding of current Chinese cultural phenomena, especially about Chinese food, music, culture and customs. "Uninhibited Chinese" displayed the "uninhibited" aspects of Chinese people in daily life; "My view on the Chinese square culture" summed up two characteristics of the Chinese square culture: the prosperity of small businesses and diverse leisure activities; “Chinese voice " expressed the speaker Bai Li's love and insistent practice on the traditional Chinese musical instrument lute. Derived from the contestants’ nuanced observation on the Chinese culture and phenomena, their speeches provided the audience a new perspective to see culture.
Besides, participants’ understanding and thinking on "youth" and "dream" contributed to the upbeat tenor of the contest.
The contest awarded 4 first prizes, 8 second prizes, 12 third prizes and 4 most popular student awards.
Written by: Lu Linlin
Edited by: Yan Shengnan
Source: School of Chinese as a Second Language
