Chinese speech contest

Chinese speech contest attracts 100 students

By Wei Cai

More than 100 students from the Department of Germanic, Slavic and East Asian Studies will take part in the fifth annual University of Calgary Chinese (Mandarin) speech contest from Feb. 4 to 6.

The contestants, all non-native Chinese speakers, will present a three- to five-minute speech on a particular topic. Winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony and Chinese New Year celebration on Feb. 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Rozsa Centre. 

“The Chinese speech contest has become the most important annual event in our Chinese program,” says Florentine Strzelczyk, acting department head.

This year, for the first time, the contest’s award ceremony will coincide with the Chinese New Year celebration.

“It will give us the opportunity to share with the Chinese community of Calgary the achievements of our students and celebrate their success in the context of one of the culturally most important events in the Chinese calendar,” says Strzelczyk.

The awards ceremony and New Year celebration will feature performances of Chinese music and drama as well as a traditional dress show. Special guests attending the festivities will include Vice-Consul General Manyi Dong from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Calgary, Cen Huang, executive director of the International Centre at the University of Calgary and Rowland Smith, dean of the Faculty of Humanities.

The contest, awards ceremony and New Year celebration are all funded by an international project grant from the University International Grants committee, the International Centre and the Faculty of Humanities. Other sponsors include the Calgary Canadian and Chinese Education Foundation, the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre, the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Calgary, Grant Prideco Canada Ltd., Hallmark Tubulars Ltd., Lambda Supermarket, Neotechnology Consultants Ltd., Pacific Tubulars Ltd., Regent Oil Field Supply Ltd., the Sien Lok Society of Calgary and Zi Corporation of Canada Inc. 

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, please call 220-8590 or visit http://gsea.ucalgary.ca.