What is the most important thing in life?

This question was the topic for middle and high school students in Ho Chi Minh City in the Japanese speech contest, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training on January 10th.

Vietnamese students line up to receive calligraphy from a Japanese calligrapher at booths outside the competition - Photo: MY DUNG

On January 10th, the city-level round of the Japanese Speech Contest, themed "The Most Important Thing in Life," was held, with six middle school students and twelve high school students who qualified for the final round competing.

The students excelled, surpassing over 300 contestants from various junior and senior high schools in Ho Chi Minh City in the previous preliminary rounds of the competition.

And with the competition requiring high school students to write an essay of 400-600 words in Japanese, and middle school students of 300-400 words, on the topic "The Most Important Thing in Life," it helped reveal the deepest feelings in the hearts of middle and high school students—the young people of today.

Two students show off their Japanese calligraphy after receiving it from a calligrapher - Photo: MY DUNG

Tran Huynh Kha Doanh, a 10th-grade student specializing in Japanese at Le Hong Phong High School for Gifted Students, shared that she was very impressed with the theme of the competition. "The theme of the competition made us – the students cheering on the older students – answer this question ourselves."

"The competition not only connected us and helped us improve our Japanese communication skills, but it also touched upon things we need to think about in life," Khả Doanh expressed.

Speaking at the final round of the competition, Mr. Ono Masuo, Consul General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City, assessed that "the most important thing in life" is an extremely profound topic.

"Besides the values ​​that students cultivate, during the process of learning Japanese, feeling the power of the language, the ability to convey thoughts and connect with others on a spiritual level is also very important in everyone's life."

"I place my trust and hope in Vietnam, especially in the dynamic and enthusiastic young generation of Vietnam," said Mr. Ono Masuo.

Award ceremony for the Japanese speech contest on January 10th - Photo: MY DUNG

Mr. Pham Quang Tam, Deputy Head of the Secondary Education Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that the Japanese public speaking competition aims to create a healthy, positive, and beneficial playground, fostering solidarity and teamwork skills among students, and enhancing their understanding of the differences between Vietnamese and Japanese cultures.

First prize went to students from Le Hong Phong Specialized High School and Le Quy Don Junior High School.

The Japanese speech contest, jointly organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training and the Japanese Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, with sponsorship from the Japan Business Association in Ho Chi Minh City, is now in its 7th year. This year, the contest attracted approximately 300 students from 10 junior and senior high schools.

At the high school level, the first prize in the public speaking competition went to Nguyen Ngoc Kim Ngan, a student from Le Hong Phong Specialized High School; at the junior high school level, the first prize went to a student from Le Quy Don Junior High School, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dieu-quan-trong-nhat-trong-cuoc-song-la-gi-20250110180801466.htm