Watch him!
Two Sundays ago, it was his big moment on stage when he lifted the prestigious All Island Best Speaker (AIBS) trophy but “I didn’t have time to celebrate,” Umar Azwer tells us. The 22-year-old undergraduate didn’t have too long to bask in celebratory mode because he “had a submission due in three days.” So it was back to work and study soon enough, after the thrill of the competition organised annually by the Toastmasters Club of Colombo.
Umar receiving his trophy from chief guest Dilip Abayasekera. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Studying Business and Management at BMS which is affiliated to the University of Northumbria, Umar hopes to graduate in 2017. Now a full-time management trainee at Mezaan and Company while pursuing his studies, his passion for public speaking, however, began during his schooldays.
Those present at the Toastmasters’ competition two Sundays ago would recall his compelling speech titled ‘Watch Me’. In his address Umar disclosed that it was, in fact, his Grade one teacher who gave him the chance to make his first public address. School life wasn’t particularly easy on the current AIBS champion, and health problems imposed a few limitations, he told the audience.
The limitations, however, didn’t affect one of Umar’s great strengths: his ability to keep his cool onstage. This became evident in his very first address. Representing Grade one in the annual awards day ceremony at Amal International School -where many years later he served as Deputy Head Prefect- Umar’s was the opening act. When he calmly signalled to the technician that his microphone was not working after realising his first few words were not picked-up, Umar’s parents and his audience knew he was cool under pressure. “I can’t believe I was so composed back then!”
Crediting his confidence to his supportive parents and teachers who kept opportunities coming his way, AIBS 2015 marks his second shot at the title. A finalist in the previous edition of the competition, “a friend suggested that I take part and so I did” he says of his second attempt.
Mapping out his speech while prepping for the finals, Umar decided that it should be one which told his story. “While discussing it with my aunt I realized that while narrating my story, I could inspire people.” Thus ‘Watch Me’ took shape. Deciding on a topic was the least of his worries – all the finalists were advised to add a spot of humour in their orations, just a week before the big event.
“There’s always something you can learn from them,” he says of his fellow finalists. From picking up pointers and techniques on impromptu speech to being exposed to their points of view, the competition had a lot to offer in terms of experiences, he reflects. It was a struggle to balance work, studying and rehearsing his speech, he admits: “It is difficult but the pressure was totally worth it!”