On March 7, the Japanese Language Program at UBC Vancouver served as the venue for the 38th Annual BC Japanese Speech Contest. The event drew Japanese language learners from across BC, who used the occasion to test their skills and talk about topics that are important to them.
The contest opened with greetings from Masters of Ceremony Mark Cao and Lance Wu, followed by welcoming remarks from Professor Joshua Mostow of the Department of Asian Studies. Throughout the morning, students from eleven high schools in BC took the stage in beginner, intermediate, and open categories, speaking on topics such as sports, perfectionism, family traditions, once‑in‑a‑lifetime encounters, and the challenges of a globalized world. Their talks reflected not only their language study, but also their diverse backgrounds and the complex world they are growing up in.
In the afternoon, the contest shifted to the university division and began with greetings from the MCs, followed by opening remarks from Consul General Yoshiaki Takahashi from the Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver. UBC students alongside those from Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria and the University of the Fraser Valley delivered four‑ and five‑minute speeches in three categories. Their talks covered themes such as study‑abroad experiences, the role of books, reasons for learning additional languages, responses to failure, and questions of community and responsibility in today’s world.
UBC was represented in the university division by Anooj Chauhan, Susannah Liu, Oi Ling Venus Tang, Ilia Parunashvili, Taehyun Kim, Kelly Deng, and Syrus Weinberg, whose thoughtful speeches held the audience’s attention and reflected their strong commitment to Japanese language study.
The contest concluded with an award ceremony, opened by remarks from Professor Sharalyn Orbaugh, Head of the Department of Asian Studies at UBC. Ms. Mari Miyamoto of West Vancouver Secondary / Sentinel Secondary School then offered comments on the high school division, followed by comments on the university division from Dr. Christina Yi of the Department of Asian Studies at UBC. The ceremony continued with the announcement and presentation of awards by Dr. Orbaugh and Mr. Kazuki Yamamoto of the Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver.
This year’s first‑prize winners from UBC were Ilia Parunashvili (Beginner Category), Kelly Deng (Intermediate Category), and Syrus Weinberg (Advanced/Open Category). These speakers went on to represent BC at the Canadian National Japanese Speech Contest, held on March 29 at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
The success of the 38th Annual BC Japanese Speech Contest was made possible through the generous support of the Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver, the Japan Foundation, Toronto, and many local sponsors and Japanese language educators. Their contributions continue to give students meaningful opportunities to develop their Japanese, encounter new perspectives, and deepen their understanding of Japanese culture.
We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the UBC student volunteers, whose behind‑the‑scenes work helped the day run smoothly from start to finish. Their dedication and teamwork created a welcoming, well‑organized environment that allowed both contestants and audience members to focus fully on the speeches.
The Japanese Language Program at UBC is proud of all of this year’s contestants for their commitment to learning Japanese and for the courage they showed in sharing their ideas in a second language. Together with our volunteers and supporters, they showed the strength and warmth of the Japanese language learning community in BC, and we look forward to seeing how they will continue to grow and contribute in the years ahead.
