The Grand Finale and the Awarding Ceremony of the ‘VOX 2024’ Public Speaking Competition were held on 24th April 2024, at the FGS Auditorium. The ceremony was graced by the Chief Guest, Rear Admiral HGU Dammika Kumara, VSV, USP, psc, MMaritimePol, BSc (DS), the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University. The presence of the distinguished invitees, Major General DCA Wickramasinghe USP USACGSC, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Defence and Administration; Prof. KAS Dhammika, Deputy Vice Chancellor; Dr Lakshika Liyanage, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Social Sciences, and Humanities; the lecturers of the Department of Languages, and the Faculty of Law, along with other attendees, added glamour and motivation to this momentous occasion.
‘VOX 2024′, the Public Speaking Competition, was hosted by the Department of Languages to enhance speaking competence and confidence among Intake 40 law undergraduates. Ms. Thamara Kothalawala, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Languages, initiated and implemented this event as part of the Communication Skills III course unit to nurture well-rounded legal professionals equipped not only with legal knowledge but also with the essential skill of effective communication.
The competition commenced with the first round at the class level and the semi-finals on the 5th of April, 2024. Six finalists were selected in the semi-finals by a panel of judges, which included Dr. Thilini Wijetunge, Dr. Saroja Adhihetti, Ms. Chamila Kothalawala, and Mr. Eranga Yakandawala, Attorney at Law. Furthermore, all the finalists were trained through a workshop conducted by the lecturers of the Department of Languages, including Dr. Saroja Adhihetti, Ms. Chamila Kothalawala, as well as the past students of KDU, namely Mr. Eranga Yakandawala, Attorney at Law, Mr. Janith Mahasen, Attorney at Law and Major Imran Hussein, FDSS, KDU.
The final round was held to test the competence of the finalists in both prepared and impromptu speeches. The finalists showcased their outstanding speaking skills in their final performances. The selection was made by a panel of judges representing various disciplines, including Wing Commander Chaminda Ranasighe, Dr. Wijendra Gunasekara, Dr. Nirmal De Silva, and Ms. Sathya Bulathwala, Attorney at Law. Ms. Sathya Bulathwala, former student of KDU, provided feedback to the young undergraduates emphasising the importance of improving communication skills.
Biyoni Jayalath, Kanimolly Arulanathan, Rajindh Gooneratne, Sohan Vipulananda, and Yamuthika Violet were the finalists who faced the final round impressively. Out of these finalists, Yamuthika Violet emerged as the champion of the competition. Rajindh Gooneratne was the 1st Runner-up, while Kanimolly Arunlanathan became the 2nd Runner-up. Spectators engaged in a live voting session to choose the ‘Most Popular Speaker’ in the house, and Rajindh Gooneratne was successful in claiming this title in the competition. All the participants and winners were recognised for their remarkable achievements, and they received certificates and awards recognising their hard work and commitment shown throughout the competition.
The chief guest and the invitees shared their insightful thoughts appreciating the competition as it provided a great opportunity for the participants to improve their confidence and speaking skills.
