During the final round of the “Speak to Lead” English speaking competition on January 21, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission to Vietnam Marie Damour praised the potential of Vietnamese youth as a positive force in their country and the region.

The US Embassy in Hanoi organized this nationwide English-speaking competition in conjunction with Hanoi University and Hocmai Education, Inc.

Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission to Vietnam Marie Damour delivers opening remarks at the final round of the "Speak to Lead" English speaking contest. Photo: The US Embassy

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the final round, Chargé d’Affaires Marie Damour congratulated the teams for advancing to the final round of the competition, which she considered a significant achievement given the talent of the competing teams. 

The chargé d’affaires emphasized that all of the teams were already winners as they are an excellent example of Vietnam’s potential. 

“I strongly believe that the practical experience you received from this contest will inspire you to continue enhancing your English skills and deepening your knowledge about social issues,” said Marie Damour.

She stated that the contestants are all young leaders who will contribute to local communities and strengthen the bilateral relationship between the United States and Vietnam.

Participants of the 2021 "Speak to Lead" English speaking contest. Photo: The US Embassy

Twenty-eight gifted high schools competed in two virtual preliminary rounds, which focused on social inclusion, gender equality, food safety, environmental protection, people-to-people ties between the US and Vietnam. The top six teams of 18 students from Khanh Hoa, Lao Cai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Thai Binh, and Gia Lai then competed in the final in-person round in Hanoi.

Throughout the competition, high school students demonstrated their English knowledge and public speaking skills through presentations on the role of education in addressing social issues and furthering youth empowerment in Vietnam.

While all teams demonstrated very high levels of ability, the judging panel determined that Le Quy Don Gifted High School from Quang Tri Province was the winning team of the competition, while Thai Binh Gifted High School and Lao Cai Gifted High School were the 1st and 2nd runners-up, respectively.