By Honorary Reporter Dayviana Díaz from Cuba
Photos = Dayviana Díaz

The Cuban capital of Havana on Oct. 29 held its first edition of the Youth Dream Presentation Festival, a Korean-language speech contest for teenagers hosted by the U.S.-based My Dream International Foundation.

Marking Cuban Culture Day and Hangeul Day, a Korean holiday that falls on Oct. 9, the event saw contestants from the ethnic Korean descent community and Cuban students of Korean ranging in age from 15-23.

The jury comprised members from the Havana office of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, teachers from Korean-language schools and religious representatives.

In their speeches, the contestants described their dreams like pursuing their desired careers, becoming Korean-language teachers, meeting new friends, developing fluency in Korean and serving as bridges to improve relations between the two countries.

Five prizes were awarded. In an interview, grand champion Reidel Guerra said his speech was inspired by his two dreams: to be a Korean-language teacher to promote Korean culture in his province and become a biochemist to tackle global diseases.

"I didn't have academic preparation like the other contestants. Even so, I've been self-studying Korean for two years at a slow pace but with a lot of tenacity," he said.

Runner-up Daniela de Jesus del Castillo said her dream is to become a dancer and singer since K-pop and the Korean language helped her overcome many difficult moments in life.

"Music and dance have greatly helped me overcome my fears and trauma. Through art, I can express my feelings," she said.

The Havana event was a regional round of a bigger competition encompassing Latin America. The finals in Mexico will see the winners receive trips to Korea as prizes.

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.