Shanghai students showcase city's stories in English

Themed "Me and Shanghai: To the World, To the Future", an English speech presentation event for Shanghai's primary, secondary, and university students was held at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) on Saturday, aiming to guide young students in showcasing a true, multifaceted, and comprehensive image of China to the world through foreign languages.

The school emphasized the significance of the event in promoting and inheriting China's excellent traditional culture and facilitating exchanges between Chinese and foreign civilizations.

With solid language skills, rich cultural backgrounds, and profound intellectual perspectives, students vividly narrated stories of Shanghai and China, demonstrating the confident and worldly spirit of the youth in the new era.

Participants were prize winners from the English speech competition. Since its launch in January, the competition received nearly 600 submissions from 288 schools across the city, covering six categories: primary, junior high, senior high, secondary vocational, higher vocational, and undergraduate. After multiple rounds of evaluation, various awards were given, including 41 first prizes and six each for best story, best presentation and best communication.

Organized by SISU among others, this was the third edition of the event. According to the organizers, students used vibrant language to tell the city's stories. Their narratives included the cultural depth of red classics and Shanghai-style elegance, the speed of technological innovation and competitive sports, the warmth of urban life in alleyways, and the openness of dialogue and exchange between China and the world.

At the event, winning representatives from various categories took the stage to share their stories about Shanghai in fluent English.

Feng Ziyao, a primary school first prize and best story award winner from Baoshan district, showcased Shanghai velvet embroidery, a craft that blends Western origins with Chinese embroidery techniques, embodying the spirit of Shanghai's inclusiveness.

Li Mingzhe, another primary school first prize and best communication award winner from Jiading district, invited the audience to explore the Shanghai International Circuit, experiencing the force and charm of the track design and feeling the speed and passion of Shanghai amid the roar of engines.