UAE, Abu Dhabi, 09 May 2023: Abu Dhabi University (ADU), Al Ain Campus concludes the fourth National Public Speaking Competition in partnership with Liwa International School – Falaj Hazza to showcase and strengthen middle and high school students’ communication and public-speaking skills. The concept of the Competition is the brainchild of Ms. Amal Sharitti, a veteran English teacher at the Liwa School – Falaj Hazza in Al Ain, who has been organizing the Competition for the past few years. This Competition is a matter of pride for both institutions being one of the only two national public-speaking competitions in the UAE, which comes in line with ADU’s commitment to provide students with a unique space to demonstrate their public speaking skills and foster their creativity in an engaging and competitive setting.

 

Various middle and high school students participated from around the UAE and tackled a variety of pre-selected topics including the importance of mental health, how to remain resilient in the face of failure, the ethics of utilization of animals in testing and whether AI can take over the role of providing comfort and support. 

The Competition witnessed the participation of over 27 middle and 41 high schools with a total of 350 students from public and private schools, with each school partaking a team of three to five students. In addition, the event was attended by Dr. Hamad Odhabi, ADU’s Vice Chancellor, Dr. Sreethi Nair, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Dr. Mohamed Fteiha, Director of Al Ain Campus in ADU. 

 

Furthermore, ADU’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the College of Health Sciences (CHS) faculty members were part of the Competition's judging committee.

With confidence and enthusiasm, the students shared their ideas and perspectives with the jury members, showcasing their capability to present and speak in public with confidence, as well as their ability to think on their feet. By partaking in the Competition, the students gained valuable experience in communication and teamwork. The event was a true testament to the talent and potential of the next generation of leaders.

 

Following the presentations, the jury members announced the winning teams for middle school category, where the first place was awarded to Liwa International School, Falaj Hazza and Indian School, Al Ain for partaking in both Arabic and English language competitions and the second place went to United American School and Al Saad Indian School, Al Ain. Lastly, the third place went to Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal School and Liwa International School, Falaj Hazza. 

In the high school category, Liwa International School, Falaj Hazza won first place in the Arabic language competition, while Private International English, Abu Dhabi School won first place in the English language category. Additionally, Future International Academy and Indian School, Al Ain won second place, where third place went to Global English School and Mariam Bint Sultan School, Al Ain for participating in both Arabic and English language competitions.

 

Furthermore, all participants were awarded certificates of appreciation for their outstanding presentations and four students received the Best Speaker award. This award went to Hamda Marwan from Zayed Educational Complex, Elsa Rejoo from Al Ain Juniors and Al Yazia Ali Al Shamsi from Liwa International School, Falaj Hazza as well as Mohamed Firoz from the Private International English School, Abu Dhabi. In addition, the top three teams in each level and language were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals for their exceptional performance during the Competition.