What an amazing accomplishment by this young lad!
In the recent “Never Such Innocence” international speech competition, Kanniesh Theeran Kannigeswaran clinched second place, and he even received praise from prominent figures like UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Representing Malaysia, this 12-year-old boy took part in the age 11–14 category and has delivered a compelling speech on the topic, “What does war mean to you?”
“Never Such Innocence” is a London-based charity that began as a project in commemoration of World War I. It has since expanded into a platform for young people worldwide to share their thoughts on conflicts throughout history and their impact on society. This annual competition welcomes participants from 125 countries and is divided into four categories: artwork, poems, speeches, and songs – each corresponding with different age groups.
In this competition, apart from addressing predictable elements of conflict and devastation, this Rawang boy emphasises more on the “war on poverty, disease, and ignorance,” the last of which “promotes individual and collective introspection”. This is the third time Kanniesh has attempted “Never Such Innocence”. He had previously submitted in the poetry and artwork categories without success.
Well, this is not the first time that this SJK (T) Rawang scholar has triumphed in international competitions.
Kanniesh and his sister Shaindavy has been participating in a variety of competitions since the outbreak of the pandemic as they had ample of free time. They have competed in over 100 competitions in 2020 alone, and their accomplishments include three consecutive first-place finishes in the US-based Wildlife Forever painting competition.
Furthermore, he and two of his classmates were also recognised for making an ayurvedic air cooler out of waste metals, which they presented at the 2nd International Research Invention, Innovation, and Exhibition event last year.
Kanniesh’s thought-provoking entry earned him the prestigious award, which will be presented online this year. His family hopes to attend the physical ceremony in the UK, which will be held in 2025.
Check this out:
Congratulations kiddo, you made us proud!
Source: [1]
