On Wednesday, October 16, the 9th Asian Youth Dream Speech Contest was held at the Makati Palace Hotel in Manila, Philippines, targeting overseas youth residing in Asia.
The event was hosted by the My Dream International Foundation (Chairman Chang Hyun Son) and organized by the Asian Korean Schools Association (President Bong Woo Lee). A total of 20 overseas Korean elementary, middle, and high school students from 14 Korean schools across 10 Southeast Asian countries competed in the preliminary rounds, with 12 students from 12 Korean schools in 8 countries advancing to the finals.
In his congratulatory speech, Chairman Chang Hyun Son of the My Dream International Foundation stated, "We are organizing the 'Youth Dream Speech Festival,' which unearths the gem-like dreams of youth across five continents, supporting their aspirations through global scholarship programs and the MINK Next Generation Network. I hope this festival will beautifully fill the Asian skies with the dreams of our youth." President Bong Woo Lee of the Asian Korean Schools Association added in his encouragement speech, "Although the students presenting today come from different schools, they are all our precious children. This is not a venue for competition but a festival where we listen to, support, and encourage the diverse dreams of these 12 students."
Elementary, middle, and high school students participating in the contest beautifully expressed their future dreams in unique ways, presenting aspirations such as becoming diplomats, flight attendants, veterinarians, artists, and AI experts—dreams they have held since childhood. Each year, the participants showcase an increasingly genuine and passionate portrayal of how they envision their future, shaped by the diverse cultural and environmental experiences they’ve had while living abroad. Teachers and family members who witnessed these presentations found the event deeply moving and meaningful, as it highlighted the bright potential of the students' futures.
The first-place award went to Hye-Rin Yoon (11th grade) from Bali Seum Korean School, who presented under the title "A Diplomat Who Will Light Up the World." Second place was awarded to Ji-Yoon Lee (6th grade) from Korea Shema School, and third place to Ji-Soo Eun (7th grade) from the Philippine Korean School. Honorable mentions were given to Da-Hee Jeon (6th grade) from Kota Kinabalu Korean School, Chan-Yang Mo (10th grade) from Dhaka Korean School, Ga-Yoon Lee (8th grade) from Sri Lanka Korean School, So-Hyun Kwon (9th grade) from Greater Noida Korean School, Ji-Woo Kim (6th grade) from KOWIN Jakarta Korean School, Na-Kyung Jung (11th grade) from Siem Reap Korean School, Seo-Jin Jung (6th grade) from Pattaya Korean School, Ju-Yeon Kim (6th grade) from Global Christian Academy Korean School, and Ha-El Kim (6th grade) from Angeles Korean School.
The My Dream International Foundation continues to support overseas Korean youth worldwide by encouraging their aspirations through the "Youth Dream Speech Festival," where participants present their dreams in Korean, as well as through scholarships.
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