The First-Year Multilingual Spelling Bee Competition was successfully hosted on 17 April

Question

2025, from 14:00 to 17:00, at the Albert Wessels Auditorium, University of the Free State.
Drawing over a hundred attendees, the event celebrated South Africa’s rich linguistic diversity
and showcased the multilingual talents of first-year students.
Kingsley Alagbaoso served as the programme director, ensuring the smooth flow of events.
Proceedings opened with a welcoming speech by Dr. Sebolao, followed by an introduction to
the Academy for Multilingualism. Although Mr. Martin Nyaka, Acting President of the BFN
CSRC, could not attend, Mr. Moses Davids presented remarks on his behalf, emphasising the
value of language inclusivity in academia.
The programme was punctuated with cultural highlights. The Bapedi Student Association
delivered a vibrant opening performance in place of the absent Falethu Mtseftwa. A Sesotho
poem by Blessing Mpakanyane and other performances added depth and entertainment
throughout the competition.
205 Nelson Mandela Drive | Park West, Bloemfontein 9301 | South Africa
P.O. Box 339 | Bloemfontein 9300 | South Africa | www.ufs.ac.za
Spelling rounds were conducted in IsiZulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English, with students
advancing through heats, an advanced round, and a final round if necessary. One participant,
Cornell, notably won both the Afrikaans and English categories, highlighting remarkable Paraphrase this for me in fluent English

Answer 1

The First-Year Multilingual Spelling Bee Competition took place successfully on April 17, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Albert Wessels Auditorium at the University of the Free State. The event attracted over a hundred participants and celebrated South Africa's rich linguistic diversity while showcasing the multilingual abilities of first-year students.

Kingsley Alagbaoso served as the program director, ensuring everything ran smoothly. The event began with a welcoming speech by Dr. Sebolao, followed by an introduction to the Academy for Multilingualism. Although Mr. Martin Nyaka, the Acting President of the BFN CSRC, was unable to attend, Mr. Moses Davids delivered remarks on his behalf, emphasizing the importance of language inclusivity in academia.

The program featured cultural highlights, including a lively opening performance by the Bapedi Student Association standing in for the absent Falethu Mtseftwa. Additionally, Blessing Mpakanyane recited a Sesotho poem, and various performances enriched the competition throughout the day.

The spelling rounds included IsiZulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English, with students competing in heats, an advanced round, and a final round, if necessary. Notably, one participant, Cornell, excelled by winning both the Afrikaans and English categories, showcasing exceptional talent.