The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the City University of Macau held the finals of its 9^th "City Cup" English Speech Contest on April 15, 2026. As one of the key events celebrating the University's 45th anniversary, this year’s competition adopted the theme "My CityU Story." The contest attracted enthusiastic participation from students across various faculties and majors. Following a fiercely competitive preliminary round, 11 contestants stood out to advance to the finals, vying for top honors including Champion, First Runner-up, Second Runner-up, and the "Most Popular Speaker" award.

Prof. Huang Guowen, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Dr. Sha Lei, Program Director of the General Education Department, attended the event to provide professional guidance and encouragement to the participants.

In his opening address, Associate Dean Huang encouraged the contestants to showcase their oratory skills with courage. He expressed his hopes for the future development of the "City Cup," emphasizing that university life encompasses not only academic coursework but also emotional connections and personal transformation. Dr. Sha reviewed the historical legacy of the "City Cup," elaborated on the significance of English speech contests in campus general education and talent cultivation, and highly praised the contestants' outstanding performances.

The competition invited a panel of esteemed guest judges for scoring, including Associate Professor Xu Minhui from the University of Macau, Assistant Professor Cai Yanling from the Macau University of Science and Technology, and Assistant Professor Chen Zhuojia from Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (BNBU). Prof. Xu Minhui also delivered an insightful and detailed critique of the contest. Additionally, Senior Lecturer Dr. Mikel Garant and Lecturer Dr. Anna Choi from City University of Macau’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences served as question masters, conducting impromptu questioning after each speech to further challenge the contestants' critical thinking and improvisational skills.

After two intense rounds, the prepared speech and the impromptu speech, Horona, SHAO ZIYUN was crowned the Champion, Karlie, LI KAICHENG secured the First Runner-up position, Veronica, WANG SIYI took home the Second Runner-up title, and Grace, LIU XIZE won the "Most Popular Speaker" award.

The "City Cup" English Speech Contest is more than just a test of language proficiency; it is a collision of ideas and a cultural exchange. Looking ahead, we anticipate more outstanding students shining brightly on this stage.