UNITY WINS THE DAY!
2025 Public Speaking CompetitionHosted by English UC, at PUC's Campus Oriente
3rd and 4th April, 2025
3rd and 4th April, 2025
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2025 SEMIFINALISTS!
(MORE PICTURES IN GALLERY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE. )
“Unity, to be real, must stand the severest strain without breaking.” These words—this year’s Public Speaking Competition theme—were written by Mahatma Gandhi in reference to the age-old and seemingly unending fractious enmity between Muslims and Hindus in India. Gandhi’s Satyagraha was a distinct and influential form of non-violent political resistance, in which unity was forged through the shared experience of bearing the strain—or more precisely, the consequences of that strain—by enduring pain (in all its forms) rather than inflicting it. A figure as revered and monumental as Gandhi—even decades before he died at the hands of a Hindu nationalist—could singlehandedly halt riots and mass killings between factions through his widely publicised hunger strikes. It was, for him, the ultimate act of love that transcended religions, cultures, and nations, while also being the beating heart of all of them.
This is also at the core of the ESU’s mission and of the message our first Chairman, Mr. Richard Collingwood-Selby, OBE, who so compellingly reminded us of on 3rd April at our 20th Anniversary Ceremony (news post to come shortly!): our mission is to foster the understanding of peoples through the use of the English language.
This act of linguistic cooperation should form the basis for the honest and fair discussion of differences—in defiance of the boot-stomping cruelty of domination by sheer force, whether through a stronger army, a larger economy… or in a heated conversation with a stranger when raising your voice to deafness-inducing volume when running out of arguments. These are the tools of tyrants, both global and domestic.
At the English-Speaking Union Chile, we believe we can take pride in providing our participants and member schools with a safe haven—one where they are encouraged to push themselves to their limits, and where companionship, respect, and trust in their abilities are fostered as they discover their own voices.
In the words of Gastón Bruna (PSC Champion 2011, see below), we are here to “rock their world!”
Why Public Speaking?
Communication is key to success in almost every field, English oracy is crucial. It enables us to articulate our thoughts clearly, convey our ideas effectively, and persuade others to our point of view. It is the key to success in interviews, business meetings, and even personal relationships.
English oracy is also essential for academic success. It is not enough to simply write a well-researched paper or essay; one must also be able to present their findings and defend their arguments in front of an audience. Students who are able to speak confidently and persuasively are more likely to succeed in their academic pursuits, as well as in their future careers.
Furthermore, the ability to speak English fluently and confidently opens up a world of opportunities. It allows us to travel to English-speaking countries with ease, connect with people from different cultures, and access a wealth of information and resources online.
But above all, speaking English is an end to itself, it’s an opportunity to experience the beauty of it’s sonority and the depth of life embedded in each and every form it is spoken, to understand in ways only expressable in English. To live as if another, as a friend that will always be there to nurture you.
THURSDAY 3RD APRIL:
Public Speaking Competition Workshops with Semifinalists and Teachers
This year we decided to stretch the competition into a two day event, with first day being dedicated to workshops provided to our semifinalists and any accompanying teachers. They were separated into groups of Teachers and Semifinalists, each attending the workshops described below.
Gastón Bruna is an ESU Public Speaking Competition Champion (2011), winning while attending the Wenlock School. In his own words, the ESU “rocked my world” and set him off in a course that had him studying Acting, Marketing and Film Studies. He is currently promoting his patented method of Public Speaking training, and the Director of his own company Abracadabra.
His workshop showcased his three -camera methodology, with a hands-on approach through observation, feedback and repetition, focusing on the development of the participants’ impromptu speeches.
He also recorded all our Heats and Final… we’ll share those soon!
Amaya Forch Barry is a well known actress and a singer with a golden voice (not everyone can successfully get in the shoes of “La Incomparable”!). A polyglot, she speaks German, French, Spanish and English, which she learned avidly as she wanted to desperately understand the music she heard on the radio in her childhood!
Her workshop focused on the use of voice and body to convey meaning and emotions, helping our teachers and participants to hone their already considerably well prepared speeches!
FRIDAY 4TH APRIL:
Public Speaking Competition Semifinals and Final
The order of the day was: Introductory speeches by our Events and Academic Manager, Mrs Lynnann Lovejoy and the Keynote Speech in the hands of Mr. Christopher Maguire, English UC Director.
Then the participants were divided into 2 Heats in different auditoriums where they would deliver their prepared speeches. After that,a Break and then the Impromptu Speeches.
OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Mr. Christopher Maguire has been the Director of English UC since 2013. A Chilean national, he was raised and lived for many years in Canada, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Zoology at the University of British Columbia. He later obtained a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. During the more than ten years he has been at the helm of English UC, he has assisted in the growing internationalisation of PUC through English instruction, with the aim of nurturing a truly bilingual community.
OUR JUDGES ON 4TH APRIL
Semifinals
Final
After the Impromptu Speeches our semifinalists were treated to a tour through the breathtaking Violeta Parra Museum in Campus Oriente and then broke for Lunch.
On return Cristóbal Clavijo (2024 PSC Champion) regaled us with his recollection at the IPSC last year and delivered both his national competition and IPSC prepared speeches. He certainly was good last year (he won after all!) but a whole year of public speaking in different settings certainly showed it’s effect as he awed the audience. Practice does make perfect!
We then broke again to move towards the grand Teatro CEO where we announced our four finalists (in order of their speech in the Final): Vicente Raveau, Nicole Torres, Elisa Poblete & Blanca Silva.
These four participants had to deliver their prepared speech once again and be grilled by three distinguished Judges. After this our judges conferred and decided on who would be declared 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Honourable Mention. The decision was not easy but after careful consideration they decided thus:
1st Place
ELISA POBLETE
“Humanity is Only One”
The British Royal School
2nd Place
VICENTE RAVEAU
“Unity in the Face of Global Challenges”
Colegio del Verbo Divino
3rd Place
BLANCA SILVA
“Unity Across the Universe”
Villa María Academy
Honourable Mention
NICOLE TORRES
“I Don’t Want to Just Survive”
La Maisonnette
OUR THANKS TO:
We would like to give a big thanks to English UC and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile for hosting us this year, in particular to Mrs. Gracielle Pereira Rocha, Christopher Maguire, Mario Lobos and everyone (Javier, Patricio, Constanza, Gabriela and any others we may be unfairly forgetting about!) at English UC.
To our stalwart sponsors Books & Bits, who once again have overdelivered with the books they donated as prizes.
To our amazing Public Speaking Task Force, without whom this wouldn’t have been possible: Loreto Abascal, Tamara Álvarez, Claudia Hermógenes, Christine Jeppessen, Flor Toledo.
To all our participants, their families and their schools. Their hard work, talent and determination inspired everybody present and hopefully other students who may see them delivering these speeches.
To all our Judges through the different rounds. Apart from those that were part of the day, we have to thank all judges that gave their time for our Virtual Round 1:
César Elgueta (Saint George’s College)
Steven Hoit (Greenhouse School, Temuco)
Christine Jeppesen (ICBC, ESU)
Erica Mery (Universidad Católica del Norte, La Serena)
Álvaro Moraga (Lincoln International Academy)
Sandra Moreno (Universidad Católica del Norte)
Carol Peake (Colegio Monte Tabor y Nazaret)
Sandra Raggi (Universidad Católica del Norte)
Viviana Rojas (Universidad Católica, Temuco)
Paola Saavedra (Universidad de los Andes)
Flor Toledo (Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, ESU)
Anne Westmacott (Universidad de Los Andes)
