RHU College of Arts launched the Third National School Public Speaking Competition under the theme “I Care” on Monday, March 27, 2017. The competition took place at RHU announcing eleven winners of the first round. With one firm goal, to develop the public speaking skills of high school students from all over Lebanon through proper guidance and coaching, the competition succeeded in achieving an inspiring cooperation at the national level.

The Chair of the Languages and Humanities Department, Dr. Hiam Loutfi, welcomed 24 contestants along with their teachers and supervisors. They came from Beirut, Shouf, Mount Lebanon, Tripoli, and Beqaa.

With “I Care” as the theme of this competition, the speeches of the participants were centered on one of three topics: “I Care for Cultural Heritage,” “I Care for Equality,” and “I Care for Sustainability.”

The winners of the first round were Talal Koleilat (Omar Faroukh Secondary School), Joanne Abouzaki (School National College), Jad Azzam Kharhim (Offical Secondary School), Riham Zaidan, Majd Al Halabi and Hadeel Hamadeh (Baakline Official School), Silvana Harb (B.O.S.S), Sima Shaar (Al Bayader School), Mohammad Bohsali and David Dabaghi (Hariri High School 2), and Reyan Merhabi (Rawdat Al Fayhaa).

Certificates of performance were also distributed. Best Stage Presence went to Sima Shaar (Al Bayader School), Best Voice Clarity to Mohammad Bohsali (Hariri High School 2), Most Confident Speaker to David Sabaghi (Hariri High School 2), Most Charismatic Speaker to Majd Al Halabi (Baakline Official Secondary School), Brightest Smile to Reyna Merhabi (Rawdat Al Fayhaa) and Best Body Language to Rayan Jaroush (Al Abrar Educational Center).

The event went to great length with the many motivational messages sent. “We all need to remember that we cannot climb the ladder of success with our hands in the pocket.” “We all need to conceive the “I Care” slogan to establish a better world. “