Arts and culture | Competition
Public Speaking Competition for Students of Dutch Studies
- Date
- Friday 10 October 2025
- Time
- Address
-
Lipsius
Cleveringaplaats 1
2311 BD Leiden - Room
- 1.48
On Friday 10 October, the final of the Public Speaking Competition for students of International Dutch Studies will take place. The event is organised by the Taalunie (Dutch Language Union) and the International Association for Dutch Studies, in collaboration with Leiden University.
In six countries—Germany, France, China, Indonesia, South Africa, and Namibia—diplomatic missions organised local public speaking competitions for students of Dutch Studies. The winner of the Chinese competition, Yuxin Cao, is currently an exchange student in the Dutch Studies programme at Leiden University. The winners of the local competitions will travel to Flanders and the Netherlands during the Week of the Dutch Language, where they will visit, among other places, the Taalunie in Brussels and The Hague.
The final in Leiden will consist of three rounds. In the first round, students will be asked to give a presentation on a topic announced shortly beforehand. The second round involves reciting the Boekenweek poem by Sholeh Rezazadeh. In the third and final round, the students will be briefly interviewed about language and their Dutch Studies programme. A jury—comprising Paulien Geerdink, Griet Vanryckegem, Dutch Studies student Ryutaro Shimonako, and Dutch Language and Culture student Luz Kosse—will select the winner. During the jury’s deliberation, slam poet, musician, and filmmaker Lisette Ma Neza will perform.
The final will take place in Lipsius Room 1.48, starting at 13:30 and ending at 16:00. All are warmly welcome to attend!