Tershawna Glasgow tops Japanese speech contest

The Embassy of Japan and the Centre for Language Learning, the UWI, St Augustine Campus, jointly hosted the eighth annual Japanese Speech Contest at the CLL auditorium on November 29.

In his opening remarks Dr Akima Umezawa, Ambassador of Japan emphasised that this contest serves as an important platform for strengthening cultural exchange between the two countries. He further highlighted the contest's role in promoting Japanese language learning and deepening understanding of Japanese culture in TT, said a media release.

Umezawa also expressed deep gratitude to Caribbean Gas Chemical Company (CGCL), Hachidorikai (the Japanese Ladies’ Association of TT) and More Vino Restaurant for their long-standing contributions to the contest's success, particularly in awarding special prizes to the winners. This ongoing cooperation has been fundamental to the event's eight consecutive years of operation.

In this year’s contest, there were six contestants; five of which were in Category I (The Japan Foundation standard A1/2, study hours 100-200 hours) and one in Category II (JF standard A2 and above, study hours 200 hours and above), the release said.

The contest was judged by Umezawa, Keio KATO, CEO Caribbean Gas Chemical Limited and Asahi Kunito, Japanese language education advisor, The Japan Foundation in Mexico.

The results are as follows:

・Category I: First place winner - Tershawna Glasgow - Theme: How Curry Shaped My Life

・Category I: Second Place winner - Ambika Ramdass - Theme: How Anime Impacted My Life

・Category Ⅱ: Recognition Award - Ariel Procope - Theme: Nature: Positive Impact of Mangroves

Preceding the speech contest, the “Japan Day” event was also organised by the Japan Cultural Association of TT. Diverse aspects of Japanese culture, ranging from traditional arts and to contemporary pop culture, were showcased through demonstrations and hands-on experiences. It provided an invaluable opportunity for members of the public experience Japanese culture.