Toastmasters International -Speech Contests

Aim for More Virtual Victories in 2021!

When Mike Carr won Toastmasters’ first-ever virtual World Championship of Public Speaking® last year, his creativity with the online format was a highlight of his championship speech.

Among other things, Carr used the camera frame to evoke a malfunctioning video projector. “I thought, why not play with (the format) and do something interesting and maybe I could project a message I want to give to the world,” Carr explained in a Toastmaster magazine article.

So the next time you participate in an online speech contest, don’t be afraid to take chances on the virtual stage and have some fun with the format. You’ll have plenty of opportunities, since speech contests will continue to be held primarily online for now. Because of coronavirus health restrictions, most Toastmasters contests have been virtual since April 2020. All contests at the Area, Division, and District levels must be held online for the 2020–2021 speech contest cycle.

Here are some resources to help with this year’s online contests.

For tips on competing in an online speech contest, watch these videos made by Aaron Beverly, Toastmasters’ 2019 World Champion of Public Speaking.
If you are organizing an online contest, this document offers best practices.
The Speech Contest Rulebook is a key resource for all Toastmasters speech contests.
Visit the Speech Contests webpage for more resources and information.

Free Contest Certificates Now in 10 Languages

Honor your intrepid speech contest winners and participants with a special certificate, available for free download in all 10 supported languages. The certificates, in the Resource Library, are suitable for use with club, Area, Division, District, and region participants.

The certificates were translated and formatted solely by member volunteer translation reviewers and World Headquarters staff.