The International Public Speaking Competition

The ESU Loire Valley has been taking part in the ESU International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC) every year since 2012. This competition is the highlight of the ESU international calendar. It is the largest public speaking competition in the world and currently involves over half a million students in more than 50 countries.

It takes place in London in May each year and represents one of the clearest manifestations of the goals of the ESU: to encourage cultural exchange and help young people to become confident communicators.

Alongside visits to London tourist attractions and to the theatre, the organisers work hard to ensure that the candidates experience activities that will enhance their speaking skills and will enable cultural exchange and new friendships to develop between them.

A real winner

This photograph was taken 24 April 2022, in London, four years after the three young ladies first met when Laure Chabenat, from Fontevraud, represented France, Mariana Levashov-Tumanishvili represented Georgia, and Nicole Camila Kohan represented Argentina, at the International Public Speaking Competition 2018.

To quote Laure, on the left of the photo:

“Even 4 years later it’s like nothing has changed. You can see it in the picture, Argentina, Georgia and France are still getting along as well as ever.

I wish to thank you for the incredible opportunity that was the IPSC. All the training before being selected and then the week in London. It has all been a marvellous journey that truly changed me, and I will forever be grateful.”

To select a candidate to represent France at the IPSC, a Regional Public Speaking Competition (RPSC) is held in Angers every year in March, organized jointly by the ESU Loire Valley, the Bibliothèque Anglophone in Angers, and the Maison de l’Europe Angers et Maine et Loire. Three winning candidates progress to the National Finals in Paris where they compete with students representing ESU Aix-Marseille for the honour of representing France in the International Competition in London in May.

The regional competition 2024 took place 23 March 2024. The lycées involved were:

From Angers:

Lycée Emmanuel Mounier
Joachim du Bellay,
Sacré-Cœur La Salle
Saint Benoît/Site University

and from Saumur:

Dom Sortais in Beaupréau-en-Mauges
Lycée Saint-Louis

The theme was: “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”.

The national competition took place 6 April. The judges were unanimous in selecting Mickael Naouri from the Ecole Jeannine Manuel in Paris to represent France at the IPSC in London 13 – 17 May 2024.

The theme for the prepared speech heats in London 2024 was “A great leader can change the world in an instant”.

INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION 2024

The IPSC 2024 took place 13 – 17 May 2024. Live for the first time since 2019, it was based at Dartmouth House, the ESU headquarters. From the moment they arrived candidates had the time of their lives. Prior to the competition, they received training in public speaking; they visited tourist sites around London; and most importantly, they forged friendships with other young people representing countries all around the world: from Chile to China, from Uganda to the USA, from the Philippines to Poland. For those accompanying them it was an opportunity to re-establish friendships, meet new international members, and to witness the bonding of amazing young people – a truly unforgettable experience.

The heats took place at Dartmouth House. In 3 groups, 40 candidates competed to reach the grand finals held at the Royal Institution. The six finalists were from Denmark, England and Wales, France, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Romania.

We are delighted to announce that the candidate representing France in the ESU International Public Speaking Competition, Mickael Naouri, was the clear winner at the International Finals held in London 13 – 17 May.

Not only is this the first time a French candidate has won the competition, but it is also the first time one has made it into the grand final, which this year took place in the Royal Institution in London, Friday 17 May. Just six competitors delivered speeches. The judges were unanimous in their decision.

Although Mickael is from Paris and not from the Loire Valley region, it is a great result for ESU France. It makes all the effort invested over the past 12 years of competing worthwhile, especially as Mickael, just 16, was the youngest candidate out of the 40 who travelled to London to represent countries from all around the world.

Mickael spoke 5^th in the finals: His speech was entitled “The Battle of Narratives”.

Mickael’s performance and those of the other finalists can be viewed on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FOjGT5s0jY

The runner-up was a young lady from Romania, Giulia Chiriac.

Our congratulations to all participants. Whatever their placing in London, they were all winners. Well done to all: to the candidates, to those who helped train them, to the staff at Dartmouth House for their dedication and organisation, and to the audience who supported this incredible competition.

We would love to hear from teachers interested in assisting their students aged between 16 – 20 years to prepare for this competition, and also from individuals who may be able to contribute to developing the skills and confidence that will be vital to our young in their future careers.

We would be delighted to welcome you on board this truly rewarding project.

If you would like extra details, please contact president@esu-loire-valley.fr