Announcing the Winners of the
Unexpected Voices Speech Competition
We are thrilled to unveil the outstanding winners of the Unexpected Voices Speech Competition Canada! In collaboration with World Speech Day, this competition aimed to amplify the voices of students across Canada, showcasing their innovative ideas and thoughts on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In a time where global challenges loom large, it is imperative to highlight positive and inspiring solutions for a better world. From climate change to poverty alleviation, our students have demonstrated remarkable insight and creativity in addressing these pressing issues.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and participants for their exceptional contributions. Their speeches have not only sparked meaningful dialogue but have also inspired action towards a more sustainable and equitable future.
Ava Parekh [7-8 age category]
Ishana Senthuran [9-10 age category]
Neil Lau [11-12 age category]
Sanjana Theresa Santhosh [13-14 age category]
evaniya raj [7-8 age category]
izhaar murji [9-10 age category]
eliana antar [11-12 age category]
majeed silvea [13-14 age category]
ian li [7-8 age category]
alisha jacob [9-10 age category]
ayaan murji [11-12 age category]
maziar maroumi [13-14 age category]
Finals at the Aga Khan Museum: We are excited to announce that we wil be featuring the finalists speeches on our website Stay tuned for the links to the finals to experience the powerful voices and visionary ideas shaping a better world.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our esteemed judges for their time, expertise, and dedication throughout the competition. Your invaluable contributions have helped elevate the quality of discourse and inspire our future leaders.
A special thank you to the moderators, volunteers, parents, and students who played pivotal roles in making this competition a resounding success. Your unwavering support and enthusiasm have been instrumental in fostering a nurturing environment for our participants.
As we celebrate the success of this year's competition, we also look forward to the future. We are excited to announce that preparations for next year's Unexpected Voices Speech Competition are already underway. Stay tuned for updates and details on how to participate.
We are also actively seeking partners and sponsors to join us in our mission to empower young voices and drive positive change. If you are interested in becoming a partner or sponsor for next year's competition, please complete the form below to express your interest.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to shaping the future together!
Unexpected Voices Speech Competition Finals and Awards Ceremony
Experience the excitement of the Unexpected Voices Speech Contest Finals and Award Ceremony on Saturday, March 30, 2023, from 2:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Join us at the prestigious Aga Khan Museum for an unforgettable event.
All students attending the ceremony who submitted written speeches in Round 1 will be presented with Certificates of Distinction. Furthermore, finalists will have the chance to present their speeches and be awarded prizes, medals, and certificates.
Contestant tickets are FREE, while tickets for family members, teachers, friends, and the general public are priced at $25 each. Tickets will go on sale starting January 1, 2024.
For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to our team at admin@powerofwordsacademy.ca.
- Purchase Tickets Now -
Tickets are free for all participants that submitted speeches and $25 for family members, teachers, friends and the general public.
Click on link below to book participant tickets and purchase guest tickets.
UNEXPECTED VOICES SPEECH FINALS & AWARDS | mar 30, 2024 | BOOK on EVENTBRITE
If you have any questions, please contact our team at admin@powerofwordsacademy.ca
Announcing Finalists for the WSD Unexpected Voices Competition
Congratulations to our finalists! Your outstanding speeches from the written submission have secured your spot in the final round of the competition. Join us on March 30, 2024, from 2:30 PM to 7:00 PM at the Aga Khan Museum for this prestigious event.
This is a remarkable accomplishment, considering the high caliber of over 350 applicants in the initial round. As part of the WSD Unexpected Voices Competition, you will have the opportunity to present your speech to a live audience and impress our panel of judges. Your ideas for a more sustainable and equitable world are invaluable, and we eagerly anticipate hearing you share them.
7-8 AGE CATEGORY
Arya Gupta (Havergal College); Ava Parekh (Sunnybrook School); Ayush Pattanaik (Sathya Sai School of Toronto); Chloe Hu (Juilliard PS); Ellie Chen (Greenland PS); Emma Mirza (Denlow PS); Ethan Auyang (Kendellhurst Academy); Evaniya Raj (St. Gabriel ES); Grace Chen (Branksome Hall); Ian Li (Pickering College); Insiyah Yamani (Credit Valley PS); Isabelle Papadopoulos (Denlow PS); Jasper Kwan (Dunlace PS); Jayden Kagitharan (Westcreek PS); Kallie Darmos (Havergal College); Michelle S Jerald (Somerset Drive PS); Nethra Suthakaran (Meadowcrest PS); Neylan Kerr (Kendellhurst Academy); Ryan Auyang (Kendellhurst Academy); Shaan Chaudhry; Trisha Shajiraj;
Yuju Jung (Crestwood)
9-10 AGE CATEGORY
Aadam Ahmad; Alisha Jacob (Rockford PS); Angelica Nikou (Poplar Road Junior PS); Arlene Jassar (Queensgate Academy); Dharshan Rajasekaran (Vista Heights PS); Dylan Darwindiraj (David Suzuki PS); Ethan Shin (Bessborough Drive ES and MS); Evan Guan (Wishing Well Schools); Farhan Islam (Donwood Park PS); Hubert Wang (Elkhorn PS); Ishana Senthuran (Donald Cousens PS); Izhaar Murji (Broadlands PS); Kathleen Ngyuen (Trillium Woods PS); Marcaisa David (Rippleton PS); Matthew Jolly (St Raymond PS); Meera Keshavjee (Norman Ingram PS); Nyota Lo (Rippleton PS); Shiv Singla (Rotherglen School); Yusuf Naqvi (Steelesview PS)
11-12 AGE CATEGORY
Aathitri Dileepan; Alexandra Jacob (St Clare Catholic ES); Ali Hassan (École élémentaire Jeanne-Lajoie); Amina Zainab Somani (Richland Academy); Avi Malhotra (Frenchmans Bay PS); Ayaan Murji (Broadlands PS); Aydin Choudhry; Eliana Antar (St. Cecilia Catholic School); Gabrial Garieri (Fieldstone School); Grace Tang (Meadowgreen Academy); Jaelen Shajiraj; Joseph Mercanti (St. Joachim Catholic ES); Levi Giller (Filedstone School); Neil Lau (St. Rene Goupil Catholic School); Sophia Soliman (Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys); Tyberius Lo (Rippleton PS); Vivaan Jaiswal
13-14 AGE CATEGORY
Advik Tomar (Black Walnut PS); Aliya Visram (Gordan A Brown MS); Ananya Anand (Hawthorne PS); Arianna Deb-Baruah (Franklin Street PS); Arya Sushil (Pickering High School); Chloe Lee (Town Centre Private School); Chloe Noora (École secondaire catholique Sainte-Trinité); Dyanne Jiang (Appleby College); Ellie Ann (St. Kateri CES); Ellie Lee (Town Centre Private School); Ethan Lee (Town Centre Private School); Lily Liaghati (Munn’s PS); Majeed Silvea (Fieldsone School); Maziar Masoumi (Lincoln Alexander PS); Ryker Li (Ashton Meadows PS); Samiksaa Gajakarnan (Stonehaven PS); Sanjana Theresa Santlosh (St. Henry Catholic School); Valerie Chua (Sam Chapman PS); Zayaan Ali (St. Andrew MS)
Important Information for Finalists
Join us at the Aga Khan Museum, situated at 77 Wynford Drive, Toronto, Ontario. Convenient underground parking is available for $10.
Please plan to arrive early. A contestant briefing will commence promptly at 2:00 PM to ensure a timely start to the contest. Don't forget to bring three copies of your speech for the judging panel.
As you take the stage, remember to pause to compose your thoughts before speaking.
Important reminder: The use of digital or other devices during the contest to gain an unfair advantage is strictly prohibited.
Judges will assess speeches based on the following categories and weighting. Take a moment to review them and keep them in mind as you prepare your speech.
Prizes
First, Second and Third place from each age category will receive the following:
FIRST PLACE
$100 cash prize
Trophie and 1st Place Medal
Certificate of Distinction
$500 Power of Words Academy Gift Certificate
SECOND PLACE
2nd Place Medal
Certificate of Distinction
$250 Power of Words Academy Gift Certificate
THIRD PLACE
3rd Place Medal
Certificate of Distinction
$100 Power of Words Academy Gift Certicate
Exciting prizes will be announced by February 15, 2024. Stay tuned for updates!
All students who submitted speeches and attend the ceremony will receive Certificates of Distinction. Finalists who present their speeches will be honoured with medals. Additionally, first, second, and third place winners from each age category will be awarded prestigious trophies and exciting prizes.
— SPEECH SUBMISSION PERIOD FOR THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED —
Unexpected Voices Speech Competition Canada
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Midpoint Summit took place on September 18 and 19, 2023 in New York and it was established that not enough has been done to be on course for SDG success. It is time to identify what needs to be done differently and accelerate actions to achieve the deadline set for the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
World Speech Day (WSD) takes place on March 15, 2024, and this Speech Competition is about capturing students’ thoughts and innovative ideas about the SDGs across Canada.
At a time when there seem to be many difficulties, it’s particularly worthwhile to share positive and inspiring ideas for a better world. From climate change to global poverty to wars and energy crises – it can sometimes feel like we look out on a world beset by insurmountable problems. But if we believe in humanity and the pursuit of happiness and progress for the common good, we will also recognize that we have the tools to meet all these challenges. We have compassion. We have hope. We have ideas – we can imagine new ways to live and come together, new vistas onto a brighter future. Our shared ideas can build a better world. All it takes is a voice: ONE VOICE.
This Competition gives students a chance to articulate their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about the topics, present our leaders in Canada with new ways of thinking and promote taking action. In particular, we are looking for new ideas on the following SDGs:
Teachers/Parents may submit the written speeches using the online form by December 15, 2023. The written submissions will be assessed by a panel of judges, including professional speechwriters. Fifteen speeches from each age category will be selected to advance to the second round.
RESULTS OF ROUND 1 WILL BE POSTED HERE ON JANUARY 22, 2024
Fifteen students from each age category will be invited to deliver their speeches before a panel of judges at the Aga Khan Museum on March 30, 2024. First, second and third-place speeches for each age category will be ranked and all participating students will be presented with certificates, medals and prizes.
Judging Criteria for Round 2
Eligibility
The speech completion is open to students that reside in Canada. There are the following four age categories (age as at December 31, 2023):
7-8 years old
9-10 years old
11-12 years old
13-15 years old
Competition Overview
This competition is run by Power of Words Academy in collaboration with World Speech Day and the United Nations. The Competition aims to:
Increase the knowledge of the United Nations’ SDGs among students and their teachers
Improve the students’ writing and speaking skills
Increase awareness of World Speech Day
What does the competition involve?
It is important that students are given a platform to express what they think, believe and are passionate about. This speech writing Competition gives that opportunity to the youth across Canada to work on the United Nations’ SDG they are passionate about. In doing so, our youth can articulate their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about such topics, present us with new ways of thinking and promote taking action.
Students will also be able to develop a variety of skills, such as speech writing, communication, problem-solving and critical thinking, to name a few.
The theme of the speech one of the United Nations’ 17 SDGs.
The speech must be written in English.
The maximum word limit of the speeches is:
300 words for the 7-8 and 9-10 age categories
500 words for the 11-12 and 13-15 age categories.
Teachers/parents may submit the selected student speeches by entering the information into the online form by the given deadline. All entries must be submitted by the student’s teacher or school, who will be responsible for authenticating it is the student's work and not plagiarized.
Entry to the Competition is free of charge, although entrants are responsible for any costs associated with entry. All entries must be submitted online.
Competition Dates
The opening date of the Competition is September 1, 2023 and the closing date is December 15, 2023. Fifteen speeches from each age category will be selected to proceed to Round 2 where the selected participants will present their speeches before a panel of judges at the Aga Khan Museum.
Downloads
Unexpected Voices 2023 Competition Rules
The 17 Goals Sustainable Development Goals
Take Action for the Sustainable Development Goals
Canada's Action Plan on the Sustainable Development Goals
170 Daily Actions
Unexpected Voices Speech Competition Finals
Join us for the Unexpected Voices Speech Contest Finals and Award Ceremony on Sunday, February 25, 2024 (from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM ). This event will take place at the Aga Khan Museum.
All contestants who attend the ceremony will be presented with participation certificates. Also, the finalists will deliver their speeches and be awarded prizes, medals and certificates.
Tickets are FREE for contestants and $25 each for family members, teachers, friends and the general public.
Tickets will be available for sale commencing January 1, 2024.
If you have any questions, please contact our team at admin@powerofwordsacademy.ca
Prizes
First, Second and Third place from each age category will receive the following:
FIRST PLACE
$100 cash prize
Trophie and 1st Place Medal
Certificate of Distinction
$100 Power of Words Academy Gift Certificate
SECOND PLACE
2nd Place Medal
Certificate of Distinction
$100 Power of Words Academy Gift Certificate
THIRD PLACE
3rd Place Medal
Certificate of Distinction
$50 Power of Words Academy Gift Certicate
All students who submit speeches and attend the Ceremony will receive Certificates of Distinction.
In addition, all students who present their speeches in Round Two will also be presented with medals.