TRENGGALEK – Trenggalek Pildacil competition brought together dozens of young Islamic speakers as 30 elementary madrasa students competed in the final round of the religious speech contest on Thursday.
The event took place at the hall of the Ministry of Religious Affairs office in Trenggalek. Organizers invited finalists from Islamic elementary schools, known as Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI), across the district.
Each finalist presented a short Islamic sermon they had prepared. They delivered their messages in front of a panel of judges, teachers, and fellow participants. The contest aimed to encourage students to build confidence while sharing religious values.
After all presentations ended, judges evaluated the participants based on content, delivery, and overall performance. The panel then selected three winners from the 30 finalists and named one participant as the best video performer.
Najwa Zalfa Khaira from MI Pudji Hardjo Prambon in Tugu district won first place. Meanwhile, Fata Haidar Sutrisno from MIN Plus Gemaharjo in Watulimo district secured second place. Tsai-Jia-Ying from MI Prigi II in Watulimo district finished third.
Judges also awarded the Best Video category to Bima Adirajada Argani from MI Plus Walisongo Trenggalek.
Mohammad Nur Ibadi, head of the local office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, praised the event and highlighted its importance for madrasa students.
He said the Pildacil competition helps young learners develop public speaking and religious communication skills at an early age.
“Alhamdulillah, we collaborated with Jawa Pos Radar Trenggalek to strengthen the competencies of madrasa students. Previously we held a similar program for junior madrasa students, and now we organized it for the MI level,” he said.
According to Ibadi, the contest also helps children practice more than public speaking. It encourages them to develop both spiritual intelligence and emotional awareness.
He hopes the finalists will inspire their peers and eventually grow into moderate Islamic preachers who promote tolerance and unity in society.
“We want these young speakers to spread the message that Islam brings mercy and peace for all humanity,” he added.
The organizing committee also reported strong participation in the event.
M Bima Faisal, head of the committee, said the competition attracted hundreds of applicants despite a short registration period.
“The enthusiasm from MI students in Trenggalek was very high. We hope next year’s event will be even bigger,” he said.
Some of the winners also shared their excitement after the competition ended.
Second-place winner Fata Haidar Sutrisno said he felt proud and happy to join the contest.
“This is my first time winning a competition. I really enjoyed the experience and hope similar events will happen again in the future,” he said.
Third-place winner Tsai-Jia-Ying expressed a similar feeling. She said the competition helped her become more confident when speaking in front of an audience.
The Trenggalek Pildacil competition resulted from a collaboration between Jawa Pos Radar Trenggalek, the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Trenggalek, the Madrasah Working Group (KKM MI), and supporting partners including Bank Syariah Indonesia and Sahabat Store Gus Iqdam Series.
Organizers hope the program will continue nurturing a new generation of young Islamic communicators in the region.