Annual Conference Report: 2019 International Speech Contest

Here is a participant report of the 2019 International Speech Contest of District 76, held at Funabori, Tokyo.


When I arrived at the venue, the microphone test had already started on the stage.
The International Speech Contest has already started since that moment.
9 Contestants- How beautiful, powerful and fascinating they are!

The buzz doesn’t stop in the hall with big excitement, the voice of Contest Chair cracked in the contest.
At last, it’s showtime now!

1. Teppei Ikeda: You are the One

On this stage, he expressed the conflict in his experiences between good news and bad news. He shared with us lots of humor in his story. It was admirable, charismatic, powerful, outstanding—his speech moved me with great efforts and solid skills.

2. Ruskyle Howser: Build it Yourself

He is a very experienced speaker who has become District 76 Champion several times. His stage was tremendously consistent and overwhelming. Why the audience laughed at his small gestures, either his technics or just natural behavior? The story was also excellent, which vividly described his experiences and daily life.

3. Peter Fujiyama: Curiosity

Trash box, Buddhist memorial tablet, Jacket and a cucumber—These were totally unexpected. We can’t imagine what’s happening next! It was a wonderfully entertaining speech and he really enjoyed the stage with the sprits of being pure and innocent like a boy.

4. Hiroki Rocky Nishino: Trust

I was deeply expressed by his elegance and dignity. He expressed a couple of himself in the speech with present life, past life, and present life again. He persuaded the audience that ‘Trust becomes power’ by showing a significance of team collaboration.

5.Daisuke Okabayashi: Go Slow

Absolutely, his fresh sensibility fascinated the audience on the stage. The different experience in Kenya, it was like a drama and his way of description reminded us of a scene in the movie of Woody Allen.

6. Wakako Harada: Cry, Share and Go

Full of power, abundant expression and lovely performance—She bloomed a lot of flowers on the stage by sharing her experiences in the US. She also fascinated the audience with her strong and persuasive conclusion.

7. Kenshi Suzuki: The Best Things are in the Future

He succeeded in showing us the great performance on the stage. His professional career which has long been cultivated and being modest with a Japanese sprit emphasized the human power and orientation for the future. At the same time, the audience also enjoyed receiving his message with the power of sympathy.

8. Yayoi Komura: Own it

How could she express her inner voice so elegantly on this big stage? It was a breathtaking speech with a great sensitivity. She expressed vividly how to overcome hardships in her life using a metaphor of a painting ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch.

9. Marama Carmichael Kishimoto: You are Beautiful

You are beautiful… inside! The audience will never forget her phrase on the stage. It was not easy to explain why her speech was obviously different from the others. It seems that she is just looking at things from her unique perspective…Also, with her passion and strength, nobody can mimic her excellent senses and intelligence.

Speech is your life.
Speech is your own.
It is for you, it is for them and it is for someone, sometimes.

Why?
Why people have to make the rank in their life, in their speech…

1st Place: Marama Carmichael Kishimoto
2nd Place: Ruskyle Howser
3rd Place: Yayoi Komura

The next destination is Kyoto.
For the challengers, the stage has already started.

Who will be the Champion?

It may be you😊

See you again at Kyoto the next spring, 2020.