2026 PESA Awards

On Friday 21 August, I was fortunate enough to see Varun Shriram compete in the 2026 Plain English-Speaking Awards (PESA) State Finals at the Wheeler Centre, Melbourne. 

Being one of the six finalists selected from across Victoria was truly commendable, and it was thrilling to see Varun and the other finalists take the stage.

The competition involved two rounds, a prepared speech and an impromptu speech. Varun’s prepared speech, titled "Public Transport in Victoria: The Wheels Are Falling Off", focused on how poor public transport can contribute to social inequality. The other competitors also spoke on important topics such as artificial intelligence, media bias and homelessness.

The impromptu round was found to be much harder than the prepared speech. The contestants were given the quote, "Intelligence is not enough," and very little time to prepare. Varun spoke passionately about concerns surrounding artificial intelligence.

I was truly impressed by the confidence and professionalism of all six participants. Each spoke very convincingly, but hearing Varun was especially inspiring. His passion and sincerity came through in his words and touched my heart. Watching him speak with such confidence made me incredibly proud.

Although Varun did not win, reaching the State Finals is an achievement in itself.

Congratulations to all the participants!

Bawin Subakaran

Year 12 Student