The power of the spoken word

Champion Alexander Minder celebrates winning the individual and school prizes with fellow International School of Monaco contestant Omara Elling Hwang

Organised by the International Club of the Riviera, sponsored by Fine Wine Works and hosted by the International School of Nice, the event brought together the parents, teachers and students from four international schools: College International of Valbonne (CIV); Mougins School; the International School of Monaco; and the host school, Nice.Everyone was there to support the eight speakers who had made it through individual school auditions to the final.

Now in its second year, the event celebrates the art of public speaking, the principles of which were founded by the ancient Greeks 2,500 years ago. The capacity to speak in front of an audience remains a potent skill, you only have to look at King, Gandhi or Obama to see the immense power and impact a speech can have on the world.

The contestants on Friday night must have been channeling some of history’s greatest orators as they demonstrated a startling ability to develop a relationship with their audience and effect their emotions.

In the opening round, the speeches focused on the contestants’ favourite hobbies. Alexander Minder, from the International School of Monaco, opened proceedings with a witty and precisely executed piece on his love for sailing. He concluded his speech with William Arthur Ward’s famous quote: “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” The brilliant speeches came thick and fast: some comic (CIV’s Max Campbell’s love of listening in class), some vibrantly visual (Mougins’ Natalie Thibado’s scuba tales from under the sea) and some conveying a profound message (Helena Cornu’s lesson on the importance of reading, Omara Elling Hwang’s on Chi Gung). All the speeches contained nuggets of truth and wisdom.

The contestants were whittled down from eight to four for the second round, for which the speakers had prepared speeches about the best days of their lives. Madeline Meyer of the ISN had a lively vignette about a birthday trip to an adventure park, which she told particularly expressively, perfectly capturing in her storytelling the wide-eyed excitement of a 13-year-old.

Following round two, there was a nervous wait as the judges retired to deliberate. The tension in the air was palpable after the panel - Elizabeth Morgan, Max Morgan-Witts, Helen Patrick and Ted Dexter - asked for more time, clearly unable to reach a unanimous decision. Patrick, a former actress, later admitted that it was very tough, with the panel split 50-50 between the eventual winner and first runner up. Finally, Madeline Meyer was named close second to champion Alexander Minder. The International School of Monaco also won the award for Best School.

Patrick later explained that with the overall standard higher than ever, a key factor in Alexander and Madeline’s success was that they were the only two in the first round who didn’t use prompt cards, which freed their physicality and made them more natural. “Natural presence was the next big thing,” Patrick said, “there was some “over coaching” and in the end the most natural and engaging speeches won higher regard. Clarity was also a concern: a clear enunciation and vocal musicality made for pleasurable listening and engaging communication of the stories. A smile not only looks great, but frees up your voice too – try saying your full name out loud as you read this, first with a straight face, then again with a smile, which person do you most want to meet?”

Alexander was certainly all smiles as he held his winner’s trophy aloft, his victory coming just three days after his thirteenth birthday. Does he have any plans to put his public speaking skills to good use in the future? As a performer perhaps, or a politician? He wants to go into the UN, his mother told me proudly. Although the UN will have to wait of course. Alexander has to go to high school first.

The International Club's George Kasiliyake was delighted with the evening: "The International Club of the Riviera has always made every effort to get involved with the local international community and the speech contest is one way we have made a difference and had a positive impact. One of the most satisfying results of this evening is that we have brought the leading international schools in the area together for a joint event, this didn't happen before."

George revealed that the next project is a drama festival, with all the international schools participating together, scheduled to take place early next year.

HM