Shenzhen Government Online
Shekou holds Speak Shekou English contest
From: Shenzhen Daily
Updated: 2021-10-25 09:10

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Qiu Yongle (C), one of the contest judges, poses for a photo with the first prize winners of the 7-9 and 10-12 age groups. From left: Jiang Yuxuan and Li Gaoxu from the 10-12 age group. From right: Lyu Yueran and Zhang Qiaosen in the 7-9 age group. Courtesy of Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats


Speak Shekou English Speech Competition wrapped up its finals Saturday with 20 student contestants sharing their experiences, memories and love for the area. Shekou, a traditional fishing village, has transformed into a international community with more than 8,000 expatiates from over 106 countries and regions.


The contestants, classified into the 7-9 and 10-12 age groups, presented the audience with the diversity of Shekou, which keeps its traditions and local culture while pursuing modernization and global integration.


These contestants were chosen from 120 applicants from 16 schools and kindergartens in Shekou who had submitted video clips for the preliminary selections.


The 150-minute final competition at La Vie Mall in Shenzhen Bay Community showed the audience a dimensional, dynamic and thriving Shekou from historical, geographic, cultural and economic perspectives. Some referred to Shekou as the hometown where their dreams started, some presented its historic changes in 40 years, and some showed Shekou’s new image.


Lyu Yueran and Zhang Qiaosen won the first prizes in the 7-9 age group, and Li Gaoxu and Jiang Yuxuan won the first prizes in the 10-12 age group.


“Learning English brings me a lot of happiness. I can learn more knowledge through reading original English books,” Lyu said at an interview.


Zhang Qiaosen hopes he can become a diplomat and wants to learn English well.


Qiu Yongle, an official from the Foreign Affairs Work Committee Office of the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee, who served as head of the judging panel, commented that: “Both groups have a very high level of speech skills. I’m touched by the way you present yourself. You’re all very excellent. Please continue to make your best to tell a good story about Shenzhen and then further about China.”


Contestant Liu Kerong’s father said that his son learned a lot during the contest preparation that was initiated in April.


“During the preparation, we attended summer camps, Discover Shekou activities and training sessions. They help us a lot both in learning about our communities and improving our language skills,” said Liu.


The Speak Shekou English Speech Competition aims to create an international language environment and improve Shekou residents’ foreign language skills to tell Shekou stories, according to the organizer Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats.


“The contest is a new brand of our international block construction. We’ll hold more language exchange activities and cultural experience events to promote Chinese culture,” Lai Peiqing, deputy director of the Public Service Office of the Shekou Subdistrict Office, said at an interview.


Shekou, the birthplace of China’s reform and opening up, is a unique place for blending local and global elements. It is home to Shenzhen’s largest expat community, with about one-third of the city’s total expat population.


The Shekou area was chosen to build an international block in the city’s pilot program to build 20 international blocks by the municipal foreign affairs authority, and Shekou has worked out a three-year plan for the program.


To further promote the construction of an international block, Shekou Subdistrict will make more efforts to develop its international language atmosphere through organizing language corner and speech competitions and building foreign books exchange platforms.




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