I was invited to serve as a judge and award presenter for the finals of the 4th "Three Regions Children's Voice Cup" Speech Contest and the 5th "Contending Cup" Debate Challenge. Two stages, two formats, yet I saw the same heartening power—a new generation of youth is understanding the world with a broader vision and more independent thinking.
In the debate, the students demonstrated critical thinking skills that went beyond the classroom framework, ranging from the public responsibility of food bloggers and food safety to a comparison of the development models of Hong Kong and Singapore. In the speech contest, the children connected their personal observations with social concerns by sharing history, culture, science and stories from their hometowns, showing me their curiosity and spirit of exploration about the world.
This made me reconsider: do we place too much emphasis on "winning first place"? Compared to rankings and awards, the greatest value of competition lies in growth and reflection. Whether it's a debate or a speech, its essence is not just about persuading others, but about learning to think independently, make judgments, and find better solutions to complex social issues through exchange and interaction.
I especially encourage students to refuse to become "repeaters" and to dare to express their own opinions; at the same time, to build connections with society through real-life observations. Because the ultimate goal of education is never to cultivate people who are good at memorizing, but to cultivate people who can think, express themselves, care about society, and create value.
Watching these young people speak confidently on stage, I feel full of confidence in Hong Kong's future social development and intergenerational continuity. However, in this age of artificial intelligence and information overload, are we raising a group of competitive children, or a group of future citizens who know how to think and change the world?
