Georgia will send its top speakers to London

The Public Speaking Competition 2009 was held by The English Speaking Union on March 20 with the support of HSBC Bank.

The topic contestants were asked to speak about was “Regeneration and Renewal.” Youths of between 16 and 20 from across Georgia participated in the competition and presented short and more detailed speeches on this topic. Ten competitors were selected in a first round on March 19 and the March 20 winners, Ana Levidze and Tamar Papava, will be sent to London to participate in the finals alongside representatives from other countries.

The competition was judged by Mr. Denis Keefe, The British Ambassador to Georgia, Mrs. Keefe, Mr. Tony Turner the HSBC Bank director, Mr. Neil Dunn the British Petroleum Georgia Director, Mr. Paul Doubleday the British Council Director and Marina Tsitsishvili, Chairman of the English Speaking Union of Georgia. Speaking at the award ceremony Mr. Keefe said that the competition had been fascinating and choosing the two finalists had been difficult. “These two girls are very lucky! But everyone is a winner,” he added.

“The winners are lucky, but the most significant thing is their participation in the final in London. This is essential at their stage of life to improve their English language and public speaking skills. The winners will be sent to London on May 18 for a week to compete against representatives from other countries. Their stay in London will also include some exciting daytrips around the capital, a public speaking skills workshop and a debating workshop. I am very thankful for HSBC Bank’s sponsorship of the Public Speaking Competition 2009,” stated Tsitsishvili.

”It was a pleasure sitting and listening to these interesting and intelligent young people. I think this generation is the guarantee that everything will be OK in Georgia,” Tony Turner, HSBC Director, told The Messenger. “I am elated; it was a nice surprise for me as a lot of deserving candidates took part, and I felt really nervous, but I won. I’ll try my best to represent my country properly,” said Ana Levidze, a winner of Public Speaking Competition 2009.

The English Speaking Union was established in London in 1918 as an independent, non-political, non-governmental educational charity. The Patron of the ESU is Queen Elizabeth II, itse President Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. One of the ESU’s first Chairmen was Sir Winston Churchill.

In 1998 Georgia joined the ESU which operates in more than fifty countries. One of the cultural and educational programmes of the ESU in which Georgia has been involved is the Public Speaking Competition.