The power of shared voices

English speaking competition brings together students from around the world, highlighting the role of public speaking in fostering cultural exchange.

This year is the second time that 20-year-old Sun Yiting, a student at Chongqing University, participated in the "21st Century Cup" National English Speaking Competition. However, it is her first time reaching the finals, fulfilling a dream she has held since the third grade when she first took part in the competition.

From Oct 17 to Monday, Sun joined hundreds of contestants from around the world to gather in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, where the 29th"21st Century Cup" National English Speaking Competition, the 6th Belt and Road Youth English Speaking Competition, and the 7th "21st Century Cup" National Youth English Speaking Competition were held.

For several years, Sun has followed the impromptu speaking topics for the competition. She appreciates how these topics connect to current events and social issues, allowing participants to share personal stories and present youth perspectives on today's world and its future.

"I pay special attention to topics related to women," Sun said, reflecting on her childhood experiences in school speech competitions, where, despite being equally matched with the boys, they were often selected over her.

In her speech, Sun shared a story from the film Young Woman and the Sea (2024), which depicts Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel, breaking gender barriers as she boldly pursued her dreams.

Sun's delivery was also confident and assertive. "I want to show that women can be not only elegant and sweet but also successful through the power of their voices," she said. Sun achieved her goal by winning the crown at the grand final.