Competing with students aged 16 – 20 from over 40 countries including the USA, Great Britain, Canada and Australia, 16-year-old Sashane Dassanayake won the International Public Speaking Competition 2025 held at the English-Speaking Union International Headquarters at Dartmouth House, London recently.
The English Speaking Union of Sri Lanka which founded in 1981 by the late Dr. T.P. Amerasinghe conducts series of workshops and coaching sessions on public speaking before conducting the national competition annually to select the best speaker through an independent panel of adjudicators and send the winner to participate in the International Public Speaking Competition held in London in May each year.
Sashane captivated the judges and audience with a compelling and deeply reflective speech that balanced emotional intelligence, global awareness and a strong personal narrative.
A student of Lyceum International School, Nugegoda, Sashane’s journey to the global stage began with regional and national rounds, where his natural charisma and well-researched presentations won over audiences and judges alike. His winning speech in London stood out for its clarity and persuasive power.
The ESU officials, family members, teacher and school mates warmly welcomed Sashane at the BIA, Katunayake on his arrival. Sashane said, “I am deeply honoured to bring this title home to Sri Lanka. This platform gave me the voice to speak not just for myself, but for many young people across the world, who are passionate about creating change.”
ESU President Tilak Amerasinghe said that the last time that we had a word winner was in 2000 and said he was happy that after 25 years, Sashane brought pride and honour to our motherland and also to the ESU of Sri Lanka again.
This victory not only showcases his individual brilliance but also shines a spotlight on the power of articulate youth voices from South Asia in shaping the global discourse.
