KOREA International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) have organised a Korean Speech Contest aiming at strengthening diplomacy between Tanzania and South Korea.
Speaking during the event on Saturday in Dar es Salaam, the Dean of Students at the University of Dar es Salaam, Business school (UDBS) Prof Wineaster Anderson said the contest has come at a right time since it will lead to increase of global citizens among Tanzanians, something which will later benefit the country in different areas like promoting tourism.
The UDBS Dean of Students said that learning other languages will help Tanzanians to penetrate internationally in business matters, spreading various cultures as well as tourist attractions to the intended country since it will be easier for them to understand the message.
Since 2008, South Korea has a partnership with the Business School at the University of Dar es Salaam and has set up a Korea Studies Centre (KSC) for Korean studies, Prof Wineaster said.
Prof Wineaster has highlighted other areas where the KSC deals with apart from teaching language, including sharing and promoting Korean and Tanzanian business cultures, undertaking comparative studies between both countries consumers and business entities and offering research assistance to students in undertaking comparative studies in Korea and Tanzania.
Speaking about the contest, KOICA’s Country Director Tanzania Office, Mr Kyucheol Eo, said it was very difficult to select the qualified 12 students for the final contest out of 50 applicants.
“I believe this contest will serve as a bridge between Korea and Tanzania despite long distance between the two countries. As you all know, language is an important and effective communication tool in development,” the KOICA Country Director said.
Furthermore, Mr Eo was hopeful that the contest would create mutual understanding and deepen relationship between South Korea and Tanzania while pledging to cooperate with the government of Tanzania in social and economic development.
For her part, the prize winner of the competition, Ms Maureen Mwasongwe from the Centre for Foreign Relations (CFR), advised other students from various colleges and universities to grab the opportunity of learning different languages as she vowed to use Korean language for earning her living as well as to advertise Tanzania.
The final Speech contest competition involved 12 speakers from the University of Dar es Salaam, the Centre for Foreign Relations, Borigaram Agriculture Technical College and the United African University of Tanzania.