On September 29, 2024, the final round of the 2024 "FLTRP·ETIC Cup" English Speech Contest, themed "Understanding Contemporary China", and the opening ceremony of XJTU's 22nd Golden Autumn Foreign Language Festival were held.

Centered on the theme "The Chinese Dragon is Good", eighteen contestants from over 10 schools delivered dynamic speeches under the spotlight. They explored the dragon’s cultural symbolism, with topics ranging from its historical roots and virtues such as courage, wisdom, and strength, to personal reflections on its modern relevance. They not only showcased the unique charm of Chinese dragon culture but also skillfully integrated global elements by comparing the dragon's symbolism across different cultures to emphasize its distinct global impact. This cross-cultural approach deepened the audience's understanding of the Chinese dragon and earned enthusiastic applause for the speakers' creativity and eloquence.

The competition featured George Jakonia from SFS as the guest questioner, with judges including Chang Hong, Chu Jianwei, Zou Haojing, and Zhang Jingjie—all being experts on the training of public speaking. Among a select group of competitors, Xu Yuhan from the School of Instrument Science and Technology and Cheng Wenbu from the Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering won Gold Awards for their fluent expression, profound cultural insights, and excellent impromptu speeches. Additionally, the integrative competence was also included in this year's competition, with 14 students, including Ding Leqi from the School of Automation, earning Gold Awards. Top winners will represent the university in the provincial competition.

The Golden Autumn Foreign Language Festival is co-hosted by university departments and student organizations. Since its inception in 2001, it has successfully run for 22 editions, hosting over 100 foreign-language competitions and fostering a vibrant environment for language learning and cultural exchange.

Over the next month, a series of language-themed events will kick off on the campus, including the FLTRP·ETIC Cup "Understanding Contemporary China" series, English Debate Competitions, Three-Minute Academic Presentation (3MAP), English Drama Contest, "My XJTU" Spoken English Video Contest, multilingual recitation, and speech competitions, talent shows in Japanese, French, Russian, German and Spanish, and Cultural Carnival. A lineup of foreign-language lectures will also enhance the festival. Students are encouraged to participate in these diverse and engaging activities.