Promising public speaker puts shine on SA in Hong Kong
Boksburg's up-and-coming public speaker, Niall Higgins (18), recently returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Hong Kong.
He spent weeks visiting the country, while being given the opportunity to speak at public and private events.
“For me, the opportunity to visit other countries to speak about my country is a public speaker’s dream comes true,” says Niall.
The Grade 12 pupil at Benoni High School took part in the Sandton Rotary Club public speaking competition held in October, last year, at the Bryanston Country Club, and beat out the other contestants, to come first. He won a three-week trip to Hong Kong with all expenses paid for, including R5 000 pocket money.
While he was in Hong Kong, the South African Consul-General, Nomatemba Tambo, invited Niall to have lunch with her and gave him the opportunity to speak at the Nelson Mandela Memorial Service held there.
Niall gave a talk on Mandela’s life, reciting a passage from his 1994 autobiography, A Long Walk To Freedom, and spoke of how Mandela’s spirit lives on.
“I told the crowd that although I wasn’t a part of his generation, his legacy touches the young generation of South Africa today,” Niall says.
He adds that he feels it was an honour to have an opportunity to pay tribute to the Apartheid icon, who really changed the lives of all South Africans today.
Tambo, who is also the South African ambassador in Rome, hosted a 20th-year celebration of South Africa’s freedom and democracy in Malta and also invited Niall to speak at this event.
“I spoke about the past, the present and the future; I bragged about the great things that we, South Africans, have done, and I spoke about the things that still need to be done to make our country a better place for all,” says Niall.
“These included our vision for South Africa of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society – a nation where everyone is truly equal, where race isn’t an issue, where jobs are created and crime and unemployment are combated.”
According to Naill, being a guest speaker at these events has improved his public speaking skills.
“I have gained more experience, and I even considered becoming a professional public speaker,” he adds
He also wants to become a musician. – @FanieBoksburg
