Ahmed Nawaz from Fazaia College Islamabad and Tooba Ahmad Sheikh from Lahore Grammar School are going to represent Pakistan at the International Public Speaking Competition in London, UK, to be held in the summer.
Tooba came first and Ahmed second at the English Speaking Union of Pakistan (ESUP) nationals held on Thursday and Friday at the Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi. “The experience was great and I am thrilled to be selected as the national winner,” said Tooba. “Public speaking is imperative in helping children reach their potential and we need such opportunities in the country,” she added. Nawaz represented Pakistan last year and made it to the semi-finals.
The theme for the first round of the four-minute and 30-second speeches was ‘Wisdom of Youth’. While some participants chose to restrict themselves to the words ‘wisdom’ and ‘youth’, others broadened their options and spoke on multi-dimensional topics related to youth. Subjects which caught the audience’s attention included too much money or the lack thereof, social messages through cartoons and laughter, the role of the media, ending child labour, and the right to make mistakes but not repeat them.
Many speakers offered the theory that ‘youth’ is a state of mind, but according to one speaker, the United Nations defines youth as persons between the ages of 15 and 24. The speeches challenged, applauded, glorified and even picked on the youth.
Most of the speakers said that the only hope left for the country - in fact the world - was the youth, as the previous generations ‘could not do the job’. The judges, gently yet persistently, reminded the young lot through their questions and comments at the end of the speeches about the importance of guidance from their adults.
As the speakers talked of inspiration, some names came up more than others, including those of the late Arfa Karim, Ali Moin Nawazish, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Khalida Brohi. The achievements and quotes of Mark Zuckerburg (Facebook’s pioneer), Steve Jobs (Apple’s founder) and Bill Gates (Microsoft’s CEO) were used frequently by the speakers to elaborate their point about working hard and accomplishing recognition. One judge, irked by the foreign examples, asked a participant whether their institutions taught them about Pakistani personalities at all, such as Nobel laureate Abdus Salam.
The prevalent message was the need for change, but answers to how it should be brought about were vague. An animated Babar Ali from the Korangi Public School had a suggestion. He said that professional training for communication skills should be introduced in schools and colleges to give shape to the youngsters’ ideas.
In the second round, the students were given 15 minutes to prepare for speaking on an impromptu topic. They were to speak for themselves and the accompanying teacher trainers were not allowed to give any advice. The topics ranged from the hijab to pop idols, to why the chicken crossed the road.
The competition, which has been running for more than 10 years, took place at the Beach Luxury Hotel with the participation of 34 students from 17 schools and colleges.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2012.
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