A Taste of Victory 

There is a famous story about Demosthenes, the renowned Greek orator and statesman, who would place pebbles in his mouth to improve his diction and overall speaking ability. While this practice might seem strange today, it undoubtedly contributed to his eloquence. Similarly, many students today struggle with public speaking, often stammering or mispronouncing less common English words.

The World Scholar’s Cup is an event designed to help students overcome shyness and develop their public speaking and writing skills. This competition features team debates, allowing individual members the opportunity to present their arguments. Additionally, it includes a collaborative writing component, fostering group thinking and teamwork.

This year's World Scholar’s Cup in Maputo was recently held at Maputo International School. Three schools participated: Maputo International College, Princess Cinderella School, and the host, Maputo International School. The event took place on May 10 and 11, 2024.

The first day was dedicated to the debate, with teams of three members each paired against other teams to debate three different topics. One of the topics centered on artificial intelligence, with teams choosing to argue either for or against the motion of favoring AI use.

The topics were engaging, and the debates even more so. Watching students articulate and defend their positions was exhilarating. The judges, selected from the teachers of the participating schools, ensured fair evaluations.

The second day featured the Scholar’s Bowl, an interactive question-and-answer session that brought together students from all the schools. This was followed by a debate showcase, a talent show, and the awarding ceremony.

From Maputo International College, Azan Khan, Bonifacio Masamba, and Josh Da Costa emerged as the Team Debate Champions in the Junior Division. In the Senior Division, the champions were Naiobi Ismael, Tanaya Cumbana, and Luana Pinheira da Costa.

 

Here is the complete list of awardees in the MIC Primary Department:

Tyrah Nieves Diego- 1 Silver and 1 Gold

Aaleyah Muhammad Mubin Sultanegy- 2 Silver medals for best Team debate

Guiyani Alexandra Pedro- Silver- Team debate- 2 Golds- Best in Writing History and 5th place in writing

Allan Wezo Gonzaga David Jeque- 2 Golds, Best Speaker, 2 Silvers in Writing and Team debate; Qualified in the global round

Agida Braga- 1 Gold, 1 Silver

Bonifacio Massamba- Gold Medal and Trophy – First place in Team debate challenge

Azan Ali Khan- Gold Medal and Trophy- First place in Team debate challenge, Gold Medal, 3rd place best speaker, Gold in Best Essay Writing Contest in Social Studies topic.

Kabir Kumar- Gold, Best Speaker

Nyengo Kaonga- 1 Gold and 1 Silver, Top 10 Team debate and Global round qualifier

Sanay Guiga- Gold Medal in Literature and Media, 2 Silvers for Best Team debate

Marvin Ewadaba- 2 Silvers for best delegate and best group Scholar’s bowl

Emmanuel Joao- Gold Medal for most helpful

Ugonna Nwafor- 1 Silver for Best Team debate

Aliah Dalsuco- 1 Gold medal for Collaborative Writing and 1 Silver for best team debate

Neylan Maputere- 2 Silver medals for best team debate and global qualifier

Aisha Rassul- 2 Silver medals for best team debate and global qualifier

Inês Da Costa- 3 Silver medals for best team debate, best speaker, and global qualifier

Shreya Quessouji – 3 silver medals, Best team debate

Samuel Dawit- 1 gold an 2 Silver medals for best team debate

Shane O’Donovan- 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal; Cria award

Camilla Kan- 1 gold for best team debate and 1 silver

Ishe Nyika- 1 silver medal for writing

Josh Da Costa- 2 gold medals for Champion Scholar and Best team debate and 1 silver medal

Congratulations everyone!