HOLDING THE LIGHT
IN PATIENT EXPECTATION
2026 Public Speaking CompetitionHosted by Carrera de Pedagogía en Inglés
Universidad Andrés Bello, Casona Las Condes
26 and 27 March, 2026
Universidad Andrés Bello, Casona Las Condes
26 and 27 March, 2026
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2026 SEMIFINALISTS!
(MORE PICTURES IN GALLERY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE. )
“The light of a candle / is transferred to another candle/ – spring twilight”. (2026 Public Speaking Competition Theme)
For every hundredth haiku that has survived the bonfires of History there is another, like this one by the 18th-Century Japanese Poet and Painter Yosa Buson, that distils expression and meaning into the simplest poetic reverie, only to be seen, iridescent, by shielding our senses, like the blinding midday sun leaking between pillars of a long-abandoned ruin. This is when our imaginations are startled into play: What is that light? Who holds the candle? What remains? Why Spring?
It is also a gift entrusted to us by Yosa Buson, as if whispering that as long as someone can imagine this light, it can forever be burning, in patient expectation of lighting another candle. It is not the light, nor even the transfer, but the possibility of lighting: a spring twilight, life flickering in its wakening.
All participants in our 2026 Public Speaking Competition happily accepted it and ran with it into their own imaginations. They then had the further tasks of pouring their thoughts onto the written page and, later, embodying these in spoken word and gesture before a critical and insightful audience. It is no small candle they had to bear, and bear it with courage they did, passing on the light to all who had the luck of being there together in the auditorium. As has been and shall remain, as long as we hold the light in reverie.
Why Public Speaking?
Because communication is what sets our humanity in motion, in an imaginary dance where we learn our first steps from our elders and teach the ones next in line. It enables us to coordinate our thoughts, throw our ideas effectively onto the arena, and persuade others to adopt our own favourite rhythm. It is the key to success at work, at play, and even in love!
In particular, English oracy is essential for academic success. It is not enough to simply write a well-researched paper or essay; we must be able to set out and defend our 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 any future careers, as the ability to speak English fluently opens up a world of opportunities. It allows us to travel to English-speaking countries with ease, connect with people from different cultures, and open doors to a wealth of information and resources that may be closed to others.
But above all, speaking English is an end in itself. It’s an opportunity to bask in its sonority and the weight of life woven into all forms it is spoken; to understand the world and ourselves in ways only expressible in English. To live as if another, as a steady, ever-nurturing companion.
THURSDAY 26 March:
Public Speaking Competition Workshop with Semifinalists
As was the case last year the competition was a two day event, with first day being dedicated to a workshop for our semifinalists.
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.
We also had the visit of our 2023 Champion, Trinidad Guzmán, who shared her experience at the IPSC and had lunch with us while everybody grilled her with question after question!
FRIDAY 27 MARCH:
Public Speaking Competition Semifinals and Final
The order of the day was: Introductory speeches by UNAB‘s Dean of the Faculty of Education and Humanities, Dr. Erika Castillo, followed by our Events and Academic Manager, Mrs Lynnann Lovejoy and the First Keynote Speech in the hands of Dr. Victor Birkner, who shared through his own personal history the importance of learning English and how it can transform lives.
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 SPEAKERS
Dr. Birkner holds a PhD in Education (TESOL) from the University of Exeter and a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics with TESOL from the University of Sheffield. He is a lecturer in the English Teaching programme at Universidad Andrés Bello, where his work is strongly research driven. His scholarly interests centre on English language teacher identity, critical pedagogy, recognition theory in teacher education, and the critical analysis and adaptation of state-prescribed ELT textbooks in Chile. His research also addresses non-digital gamification and the development of context-sensitive materials for disadvantaged school settings. He has published and presented nationally and internationally on these topics and regularly supervises undergraduate research projects aligned with these thematic areas.
Dr. Gerigk holds a PhD in Linguistics from Lancaster University, UK, and is an Assistant Professor of English at Universidad Andrés Bello, specialising in English Linguistics, TESOL, and Teacher Education. His research interests include data-driven learning, critical pedagogy, and corpus linguistics. He regularly participates in international conferences and publishes in international journals. Kevin is a founding member of the British Association of Applied Linguistics’ Language Curriculum Special Interest Group and EIPT (Enseñanza del Inglés en Programas de Traducción), a multi-national research group based in Chile. Furthermore, he is the director of the Chilean Network of Corpus Linguists and a co-host of the educational podcast ELT in Chile.
OUR JUDGES ON 27 MARCH
Semifinals
Final
Victor Birkner
Peter Lynch
Claudia Parra
Anne Westmacott
After the Impromptu Speeches our semifinalists were treated to a tour through the breathtaking Casona Las Condes Campus and then broke for Lunch.
On return we had the second Keynote Speech, in the hands of Dr. Kevin Gerigk, who led us through a fascinating history of the global reach of the English language, seeking to answer the question of Why Learning English is important in this day and age.
Then came Cristóbal Clavijo (2024 PSC Champion) delivered his IPSC prepared speech, as well as being subjected to an Impromptu Speech on the thorny issue of gender equality. We also had Elisa Poblete (2025 PSC Champion) who after the Final and before the Awards Ceremony, delivered her IPSC prepared speech, with all the panache and aplomb she has in spades.
After Cristóbal’s speech, we announced our four finalists (in order of their speech in the Final): Ana Leiva, Emilio Alruiz, Joaquín Saldaña and María Cristina Ferrando.
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:
Click on Picture to see their speeches + questions and answers during the Final!
1st Place
JOAQUÍN SALDAÑA
“Lotus Springs Resort + Casino”
The International School La Serena
2nd Place
MARÍA CRISTINA FERRANDO
“The Light Within You”
Villa María Academy
3rd Place
EMILIO ALRUIZ
“The Relay Race of Humanity”
Dunalastair Las Condes
Honourable Mention
ANA LEIVA
“The Memory Between Lights”
The International School Nido de Águilas
OUR THANKS TO:
We would like to give a big thanks to the Carrera de Pedagogía en Inglés, Facultad de Educación y Humanidades at Universidad Andrés Bello for hosting us this year, in particular to Dean Erika Castillo, Director de Carrera Carlos Cid, Melanie Vergara, their students Nicole León and Valentina González and any others we may be unfairly forgetting about! You all made us feel at home with your kindness and openness to help us out at every second.
All people working at the Campus Casona de Las Condes in particular Macarena Álvarez, who made sure all the pieces of the puzzle fit to perfection, even when we had last minute requirements. Juan Viloria and René Alvarado at Auditorio José María Aznar for their impeccable Youtube streaming during our afternoon session. Last but not least, the Tourism students Allison Sepúlveda and Valentina del Valle who deftly led our participants through a tour of their beautiful and historic campus.
To our stalwart sponsors Books & Bits, who once again have overdelivered with the books they donated as prizes. We thank in particular Olivia Evans, who was there on the day to deliver the prizes herself.
To our amazing and long-suffering 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. When we see their faces shine under the light; see them battle through their struggles or coast on the wave of success, on stage or on the screen… in that moment everything makes complete sense and falls into the right place. We had participants entered from the following schools in Round 1 this year:
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:
Andrés Araya (Orchard College)
Alison Berríos (Colegio La Salle, La Reina)
César Elgueta (Colegios Monte Tabor y Nazaret)
Marcela Lafourcade (Universidad Diego Portales)
Erika Mery (Universidad Católica del Norte, La Serena)
Sandra Moreno (Universidad Católica del Norte)
Luis Ortiz (Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación)
Álvaro Osses (Independent)
Sandra Raggi (Universidad Católica del Norte)
Felipe Reyes (Universidad San Sebastián, Valdivia)
Rodrigo Santos (Universidad Católica del Maule)
