The Multilingual Dhamma Preaching and Speech Competition – 2026 was successfully held on 19 May 2026 at the Library Auditorium of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, organized by the Department of Language Skills Development.

The Dhamma preaching and speech competition was a strategic initiative aimed at integrating language development, spiritual growth, and public speaking skills. Conducting the programme in Tamil, Japanese, Hindi, French, Korean, and Chinese not only motivated students to enhance their linguistic abilities but also reflected the university’s vision of nurturing globally competent, ethically grounded, and linguistically skilled scholars. Students participated with great enthusiasm, confidently showcasing their talents, cultural diversity, and communication skills through multiple languages while spreading the teachings of the Buddha across six linguistic traditions. Their performances highlighted both academic excellence and deep spiritual understanding.

The event was further graced by the presence of the Vice Chancellor of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka and the Dean of the Faculty of Language Studies, who attended as special guests. Their participation added great significance to the occasion and demonstrated the university’s continued commitment to promoting multilingual education, cultural understanding, and the dissemination of the Buddha’s teachings through diverse languages.

To encourage and inspire the participants, several distinguished scholars and native speakers served as judges for the competition. For the Tamil segment, Mr. T. S. Jeffry from the Open University of Sri Lanka participated as a judge. Dr. Wajira Gunasena from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura represented the Hindi section. The Japanese category was evaluated by Professor Ananda Kumara, Vice Chancellor of the Lanka Nippon BizTech Institute, together with Mr. Sadoi Toshiyuki. For the French segment, Mr. Romeo Beyron from the Alliance Française de Colombo served as a judge. Mr. Kinam Kim evaluated the Korean presentations, while Professor Lei Mingzhen from the Confucius Institute at the University of Colombo represented the Chinese section. Their presence greatly inspired the participants and enhanced the international character of the programme.

The event concluded successfully, leaving a lasting impression on both participants and guests, while strengthening intercultural understanding and promoting the universal message of the Buddha through multilingual expression.

Head

Dr. Narayanan Mallikadevi

Department of Language Skills Development