Ambassadeurs / Ambassadrices en Herbe Competition

Six students from GEC had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Ambassadeurs/Ambassadrices en herbe competition, a prestigious debating event bringing together French schools from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Titouan, Amir, and Isabelle – current and former students of the French First Language program – formed a team alongside three students from CJC. Meanwhile, Violet, Kaela, and Kiara proudly represented GEC in the Label France category as part of the Immersion Program.

The group travelled to Sydney on Sunday, 8 March, where they stayed overnight and met delegations from across the region. Students had the chance to connect with peers from countries including China, Japan, Laos, Singapore, and more. They also enjoyed exploring Sydney, visiting iconic landmarks such as the Opera House and taking a ferry ride to Manly – an experience that was a definite highlight for many.

On Tuesday, the competition officially began in Canberra with a traditional French breakfast at the French Embassy. Over the following three days, students took part in a series of debates exploring key issues related to artificial intelligence. It was inspiring to see our students engage so confidently and thoughtfully in these discussions, in French, demonstrating both their critical thinking and impressive speaking skills.

Beyond the competition, students also had the opportunity to explore some of Canberra’s most important cultural and national sites, including the National Gallery, Parliament House, and the Botanical Gardens.

Perhaps most importantly, the experience allowed students to build friendships and share meaningful moments with like-minded peers from across Asia, all united by their passion for the French language and culture. The week concluded with a lively disco evening at the French Embassy, where students enjoyed delicious French canapés in a truly memorable setting.

Our students performed exceptionally well throughout the competition. A special mention goes to Amir Egre, who achieved an outstanding second place in his category.

It was truly an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

Celine Fompudie

Languages Learning Area Leader

Our trip with the Ambassadeurs En Herbe program was incredible. We not only had the chance to debate, make speeches, discuss our views, and gain new academically driven skills, but we also shared an amazing experience with our peers and enjoyed some sightseeing with our friends from the trip. Our first two days were spent in Sydney, where we visited sites such as the Sydney Opera House. This was a lot of fun, as we not only got to experience the tourist attractions of our own country, but also got to see how people from other cultures reacted to them.

Once we arrived in Canberra, it became a whirlwind of debates, practice, academics, and more. Even though we were in a competitive environment, we still managed to form bonds with people from countries such as Vietnam, Laos, China, Japan, and many others. We were all connected through French, and it was honestly so cool to see so many people from different places united by language.

On the second-last day of our trip, we gave a speech at the National Library! This was a challenging experience, but it helped all of us build confidence, improve our public speaking skills, and receive feedback from people who have learned and understood French their whole lives. That evening, we had a party at the French Embassy with dancing, food, and fun. We laughed and talked with others, and it’s something I will truly never forget. It was a highlight of the trip for me.

Though this trip presented us with challenges—especially since my teammates Violet, Kiara, and I were the only participants who weren’t fluent in French—we learned from them, grew from them, and had an amazing experience that I will always be grateful for.

Kaela Burch, 9C

Le dimanche 8 avril 2026, l'équipe de Glen Eira College représentant Melbourne est partie pour Sydney et Canberra afin de participer à la compétition de la zone Asie-Pacifique : Ambassadeurs et Ambassadrices en Herbe. C’est un concours d'éloquence et de débat réunissant plus de quinze pays de la région, et c’était la première fois que Glen Eira College y était représenté à travers deux équipes : l'équipe francophone, composée de trois élèves de Glen Eira et trois élèves de Caulfield Junior College, ainsi qu’une équipe d’apprenantes de français composée de trois élèves de Glen Eira.

Nous avons fait plusieurs activités, comme une promenade dans Sydney, la visite de la National Gallery of Australia et de la National Library of Australia à Canberra. Nous avons aussi eu la chance d’être reçus à l’Ambassade de France pour les cérémonies d’ouverture et de clôture du concours. Nous avons également rencontré des participants venant d’autres pays et parlant d’autres langues comme le chinois, l’arabe ou le japonais. Nous avons créé des liens forts et appris à rester soudés dans les moments de stress, de tension et d’appréhension. Ce fut une expérience très enrichissante, tant sur le plan culturel qu’humain.

Amir Egre, 8A

Between the 8th and the 13th of March, I participated in Ambassadeurs en Herbe 2026 in Canberra. It is a competition between international schools where we debate a topic; this year, the theme was AI. We landed in Sydney and met other teams from Australia as well as from countries like Singapore, Japan, China, and Laos. On the first day, we visited Sydney and saw the Opera House. The next day, we left for Canberra by bus, a four‑hour trip.

The following morning, we had to wake up early to begin the debating competition. There was a mix of excitement and nerves as all the teams prepared their arguments and rehearsed their speeches. Once the debates started, the level was incredibly high, as all the teams had very strong arguments and impressive public‑speaking skills. After several rounds of debate, the winning team was Tokyo, Japan.

What I liked most about this competition was how kind everyone was and the fact that we got to visit iconic places like Parliament House. This experience was incredible, and I definitely recommend taking part in it!

Titouan, 7A