Invicta Vlogs
World Speech Day – 15 March 2022
As I began to write this blog post a few weeks ago I checked the calendar and saw that World Speech Day was approaching. My thoughts immediately sprang to a historical review of the great speakers of the 20th Century, such as Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr, and those women who have had such an impact on the way that we live today. Emmeline Pankhurst’s ‘Freedom or Death’ speech of 1913 as she fought for Equal Voting Rights for Women, Hillary Clinton’s famous ‘Women’s Rights are Human Rights’ speech of 1995 and Malala Yousafzai’s speech to the UN in 2013, highlighting the importance of education and opportunities for all have all had a lasting impact.
Malala was 16 years old, but spoke on behalf of all of the girls and women of the world:
“So here I stand, one girl among many. I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated.”
As the deadline to submit this blog approached, the political landscape has shifted, and speeches of world leaders have become ever more important. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has rallied the nation with his addresses and has given voice to the Ukrainian people.
The importance of speeches, and the key skills of literacy and oracy cannot be overstated. Speakers can have a monumental impact on the way that society acts, how we respond in times of crisis, and how we celebrate in times of national joy.
World Speech Day, founded in 2014 by Simon Gibson, was created as a way of sharing new ideas, educating people and providing inspiration for others. Gibson had experience working as a freelance speech writer for IBM, BP, Shell, NatWest and Toshiba and so had a valuable insight into the affect speeches can have, both in the corporate world and beyond. World Speech Day is currently celebrated in over 100 countries by people aiming to inspire others and create meaningful change through the power of speech.
Students at Invicta have a multitude of opportunities to develop their oracy skills both within and outside the classroom. Our students regularly take part in debates in class, make presentations to their peers and speak eloquently as part of their language lessons and assessments. Our wide range of clubs, societies, learning hubs and events such as ‘Debate Matters’, ‘Invicta Speaks’, ‘Mock Trials’ and ‘Model UN’ all enable our students to express themselves and to gain confidence in public speaking. Our Sixth Form students have presented in assemblies this month as part of the Hustings for the Sixth form prefect team, demonstrating once again how impressive our students can be, and how determined they are to bring about change.
I will leave you with a short excerpt from Maya Angelou’s message of hope, ‘On the Pulse of Morning’ of 1993, originally delivered to the American public at Bill Clinton’s inauguration. She was only the second poet in history to read a poem at a presidential inauguration, and the first African American and woman.
On the Pulse of Morning
Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister’s eyes,
Into your brother’s face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.
Maya Angelou, 1993
Mrs C McGivern
Assistant Head teacher
