Students in Ho Chi Minh City enthusiastically participated in English challenges with foreigners at the event - Photo: CT
Now in its 9th year, the event has chosen the theme "The World within You(th)" and shares many encouraging signs as students in Ho Chi Minh City are increasingly interested in and proactive in practicing and equipping themselves with foreign language skills before entering the labor market.
I see this event as an opportunity to challenge my English speaking skills because the activities show me I need to practice and improve a lot. Being proficient in at least one common foreign language will open up greater career opportunities, especially for jobs that require strong foreign language skills.
PHAM TRUONG GIANG (2nd-year student at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology)
The essentials and passport for Generation Z.
Crowded, bustling, and filled with laughter and chatter—these are the most noticeable things about the festival space, even before it officially opens.
The "Corroboration English Skill" interactive game space is vibrant with challenges and interactions conducted entirely in English.
The "National Cultures" area, with over a dozen booths showcasing the cultures of various countries and offering cultural experiences, creates a sense of excitement and stimulates students' curiosity and desire to explore .
Several English language centers also contributed to making the event more lively. Many interesting prizes were given away after each game, and preferential scholarships for foreign language studies were offered to students by the centers.
More importantly, you get to interact and chat with native teachers, and also learn about effective methods for learning a foreign language.
Nguyen Thi Yen Nhi (Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports ) excelled in the interactive English challenges but admitted that her English knowledge is still very weak. Nhi said she lacks discipline, making it difficult for her to concentrate fully on learning a foreign language.
"I'm very happy that this is the first time I've stepped out of my comfort zone to express myself, socialize with people, and confidently use my foreign language skills to interact, because I'm an introvert by nature," Yến Nhi shared.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Viet Thanh (Ho Chi Minh City University of Education) was very excited about the interactive games at the festival. Along with the joy of overcoming many challenges, Thanh also felt a little regretful for losing a few simple challenges.
My friend shared that he achieved an IELTS score of 7.0 two years ago and the event was an opportunity to "test" his current abilities.
"For today's students and young people, knowing a foreign language is not only necessary, but should be considered mandatory if they want to go far and explore the wider world ," Thành said with a smile.
The Language Learning Journey Bus
Nguyen Tat Toan, Permanent Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Student Union, shared that the event aimed to create an environment for interaction and sharing knowledge and effective foreign language learning skills for students in the city. The participation of many foreign language centers at the event was a valuable opportunity, contributing significantly to supporting students' foreign language learning process.
Introducing the cultures and languages of many countries around the world at the festival aims to help students understand and view foreign languages as a means, a tool, and a tool to help them connect with others. Through this, they can improve themselves daily and achieve the criteria of becoming a "5-Good Student".
Starting with this year's event, the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnamese Student Association hopes that each year the event will be held at a different school in Ho Chi Minh City. Through this continued connection, a new space will be created that feels "like a journey through foreign language learning."
Furthermore, exhibiting images of volunteer activities by Ho Chi Minh City youth at this year's festival is also very meaningful. This aligns with the theme "Year of Youth Volunteers" and provides an opportunity for students to test their vocabulary, as all the language used at the exhibition is English.
"With the continuous activities designed for the festival, we want to create more challenging spaces and skill-building playgrounds to help students learn from each other and practice their foreign language skills together in a visual, engaging, and lively way," Toan hoped.
Many interactions and suggestions for the event.
The "Youth Unbound" workshop featured three speakers, all outstanding students and alumni, who shared inspiring stories of Ho Chi Minh City students' presence on the world map. All three have achieved significant success in international integration activities and have traveled to numerous countries and territories around the world.
The event also included many online activities at http://englishcamp.sac.vn , as well as on the fanpage of the Vietnam Student Association of Ho Chi Minh City, and the website and fanpage of the Ho Chi Minh City Student Support Center, which had been planned beforehand.
After nearly a month of implementation, the event has reached over 50,000 people, with more than 10,000 interactions and shares of the activities. In addition, nearly 120 messages and suggestions were submitted by members and students to the Ho Chi Minh City Student Union through this event.
English Public Speaking Competition
This year, as part of the festival's activities, there was an English public speaking competition titled "Speak Up for Sustainability," discussing the role of youth in sustainable development. The competition took place earlier, and the final round at the festival featured 10 outstanding contestants competing in a speech simulating a conference of young ASEAN leaders.
From discussing climate change and sustainable development, the contestants presented their viewpoints, offered solutions, engaged in debates, and conveyed their messages.
After hours of competition, Luong Thi Thu Ngan (Ho Chi Minh City University of Education) excellently won first prize in this competition. Second and third prizes went to Dong Minh Khoi (Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry) and Huynh Kieu Anh Huy (Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics), respectively.
First prize in the English public speaking competition awarded to student Luong Thi Thu Ngan (Ho Chi Minh City University of Education) - Photo: CT
The organizing committee also awarded seven consolation prizes to the remaining finalists. "Hopefully, this new feature will help students improve their English skills and integration skills, as these are essential requirements for today's generation of students, along with striving for the title of 'Excellent Student'," said Mr. Tat Toan.
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