2025 Empowering Minds in Ulaanbaatar

Our sojourn in Mongolia continues.

On Saturday (i.e., October 11), the threesome (Ahmad Fakhri, Jamilah Samian and Victor Ong) went to the Cultural Central Palace of Mongolian Trade Union at Peace Aveue in Ulaanbaatar to attend the 2025 Empowering Minds event, the very first Teachers' Speech Championship in which the Academy of English and Jolly Campus organized and hosted.

Fifteen of their English teachers participated in the said competition: 

And the Malaysian trio were co-opted to be judges, together with Dr Ganchimeg Zagdaa and A Bolor. 

An interesting twist to this speaking contest was that AOE students were given the opportunity to give written feedback on the speakers.

I must say the speeches were enlivening and uplifting – each speech served as a reminder that empowerment begins when we dare to raise our voices and speak loudly to assert our beliefs, ideas and thoughts. 

We were also invited to share our messages and for sure, we would never miss any chance to speak: 

Ahmad Fakhri – "Riding the Wave of Change: Awakening the Inner Warrior";
Jamilah Samian – "Metamorphosis: The Courage to Grow"; and
Victor Ong: "I, Me and Myself", where I conveyed about certitude, confidence and conviction. About being oneself. About being authentic.

Then, the award ceremony: 

'Twas followed by a traditional Mongolian lunch: 

And thereafter, we left for Darkhan, 237km north and the second largest city in Mongolia.