The 8th National Bilingual Speech Contest, cohosted by HUFS Multicultural Center (Director Heo Yong) and Chungcheongnamdo Office of Education and organized by the Ministry of Education and LG Yonam Foundation, was held on Dec. 5 at the International Conference Room of the Minerva Complex and 17 Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education across the nation.

Following the COVID-19 guidelines, the event was held in a social distancing environment with only the adjudicators and organizers gathered to evaluate the students’ presentations. Due to the collective efforts, the event ended without any confirmed cases of COVID-19.

For the contest, HUFS President Kim In-chul, Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Yoo Eun-hye, LG Yonam Foundation Vice President Jung Chang-hoon, and South Chungcheong Province Superintendent Kim Ji-chul sent their congratulatory remarks via video.

In the video, HUFS President Kim In-chul said that the talents and abilities of bilingual speakers are greatly appreciated in today’s society and that today’s event reaffirmed their potentials in their mother and father’s nation. He added that he will support the students to pursue their goals and achieve their dreams.

Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Yoo Eun-hye said that the contestants were special people who received the gift of different languages from their parents and understanding Korean and another language will allow them opportunities to understand more people and see a wider world. She added that she will support the participants to realize their potentials.

The National Bilingual Speech Contest has been held every year since 2013 to raise self-esteem and awareness of identity among multicultural students. HUFS signed an MOU with the organization in 2015 and this year marks the 6th anniversary.