The English Linguistics Program at IUCA proudly hosted “Speak to Inspire: The Battle of Words”, a public speaking contest dedicated to World Speech Day 2025. The event took place on April 19 in IUCA’s main auditorium and featured 18 outstanding participants representing various schools/colleges in Kyrgyzstan.

The speeches covered a wide range of topics — from the power of chess and internet safety to social media and gender equality — reflecting the creativity, critical thinking, and strong communication skills of the young speakers.

The contest was hosted with energy and enthusiasm by two students of the English Linguistics Program — Mairam Tologonova (4th year) and Davran Baratov (3rd year), who did an excellent job in their roles and created a warm and supportive atmosphere throughout the event.

The panel of judges included IUCA “English Linguistics” program professor Roman Valvakov, and Fulbright scholars Monica Zhang and Hunter Maxfield, who praised the participants for their confidence, eloquence, and originality.

🎉 Congratulations to our winners! 

🥇 1st Place – Arlen Kurmanbekov (10th grade, “Ak-Bata” School) – Chess: The Game That Shapes Your Mind 

🥈 2nd Place – Nurhan Kadyrchalov (2nd year, HTC IUCA) – Social Media 

🥉 3rd Place – Medina Shakirbekova (11th grade, Secondary School №12) – Dream Big, Start Small

All participants received certificates, and the top three winners were awarded special prizes.

The event was not only a contest, but also a celebration of the power of words, self-expression, and youth leadership. We thank all participants, guests, and judges for making this day so inspiring!