Indonesian Student Wins English Speech Contest in Japan

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - Republic of Indonesia Tokyo School (SRIT) student Najwa Rahman Rustam won the English speech competition "Meguro English Speech Contest 2023" and won "The Best Delivery Prize".

Education and Culture Attache of the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) Tokyo Yusli Wardiatno in Tokyo on Sunday 12 November expressed his appreciation and pride for the achievements of the SRIT students.

He called this achievement proof that SRIT students were able to compete with Japanese students.

"Apart from the quality of students, another thing that needs to be emphasized in the achievements and events of this program is the practice of mutual understanding of culture between Indonesia and Japan, a kind of cross-cultural undertending," he said, as reported by Antara.

Head of SRIT, Ari Driyaningsih, said she was proud of the achievements of SRIT students in the speech competition after going through a fairly strict internal selection.

On the same occasion, Meguro Tokyo City Council Member Kanako Kobayashi hopes that the competition will become an opportunity to foster friendship between students, between schools and between nations.

It is also hoped that the competition will increase the global insight of young people who will later become leaders in various fields.

"Hopefully this will be an entry point for us to be able to create other collaborative programs in the future," she said.

Three competition judges -- Kiichi Sugawara (teacher), Gerald Escalante (educator), and Maryam Al Kubati (researcher) -- gave Najwa "The Best Delivery Prize", the best title in delivering speech material entitled "Attitude: A Game Changer".

The class VII student was considered proficient and effective in combining gestures and speech when giving a speech.

In her speech, Najwa conveyed the importance of building while maintaining a positive attitude.

She invited the audience to always appreciate their own uniqueness, appreciate their strengths and weaknesses, and avoid attitudes that often compare themselves with others.

Najwa also advised that one's life should never be dictated by failure.

"Because a positive attitude is a secret recipe that can turn difficult situations into blessings," she said.

"Meguro English Speech Contest 2023" is an annual program of the Meguro City Council and the Meguro Education Agency in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo and SRIT.

This year's speech competition was attended by junior high school (SMP) students in the Meguro area, Tokyo.