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Hear from Waseda international students!

The 50^th annual International Student Japanese Speech Contest

A contestant from last year’s contest

On November 29, the Waseda International Club (WIC), which will turn 60 years old this coming year, will host its 50^th International Student Japanese Speech Contest at the Okuma Auditorium on Waseda Campus.

The contest will feature eight students from six countries (US, China, Australia, Singapore, Romania, and Malaysia) who will give six-minute speeches on various topics such as Japan’s environmental issues, Japanese people’s relationship with alcohol, and the importance of learning a foreign language. Supporting each contestant is an advisor that provides advice on intonation, topics, and more.

Contest judges include Orie Kishimoto from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Professor Naoko Kinoshita (Center for Japanese Language), and Atsushi Yamaguchi from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There were very few international students on campus when this contest was first held 50 years ago in a small classroom. This is in stark contrast to the international campuses of today’s Waseda, which is home to the most international students (4,917) of all Japanese universities. Coming across various foreign languages while on campus is an everyday occurrence.

Organizer of this contest, Yoshiyuki Hasegawa (Third year student at School of Political Science and Economics), says, “Even though the number of international students on campus increases, there are very few opportunities to hear about their home countries and culture as well as their thoughts and feelings about living in Japan. I would like to make this contest an opportunity for Japanese students to hear about these things directly from international students.”

The 50^th International Student Japanese Contest

• Date & Time: November 29 from 13:00-17:00 (Doors open from 12:30)
• Venue: Okuma Auditorium
• Host: Waseda International Club
• Website: http://waseda-speechcontest.wix.com/wic1956