Welcome to this website devoted to the art of speeches in Europe today. Logos, pathos, ethos brings you some of the best quotes, speeches, and rhetorical tips. As its name suggests, this multilingual website is inspired by the long-standing European tradition of the art of speeches stretching back over twenty-five centuries. It seeks to shine a spotlight on speeches that matter on the European stage today.

Logos Pathos Ethos, September 2017

Dear speech-fans and -friends,

Over the summer, two major European figures passed away: Helmut Kohl and Simone Veil. Their lives inspired eulogies that stand out as they provide an opportunity to stand back and reflect on what ultimately matters, celebrate values and achievements, and share a vision of what unites us. Little surprise that several quotes in this selection come from these epideictic speeches.

Our shared interest for great speeches has found an unusual space on TV this summer. The European TV channel Arte has a special series on great speeches, available en français : Les grands discours und natürlich auch auf Deutsch: Grosse Reden.

You will find more quotes, tips and books on: logospathosethos.eu

Isabelle


Vision

The history of her life is the history of our continent, the history of a continent torn apart, lost, which experienced the worst atrocities of which humanity is capable, but which, like her, found the strength to rise up again, to rebuild itself and to be reborn.

In her inaugural speech, which she gave on 17 July 1979, she showed that she grasped the true nature of the responsibility on her shoulders.

This is what she said:  ‘For this is the first time in history, a history in which we have so frequently been divided, pitted one against the other, bent on mutual destruction, that the people of Europe have together elected their delegates to a common assembly . Let there be no doubt, these elections form a milestone on the path of Europe, the most important since the signing of the Treaties’.

In a 23-minute speech, she set out, with exceptional clear-sightedness, a vision for the development of our Parliament over the next 40 years. 

I urge you to read the speech, if you have not already done so, because it seems to me to be remarkably topical. You will find in it enthusiasm, hopes, expectations, the ambitions of a whole generation of men and women who sat on these benches before us and who we should all take as our inspiration.

Read the speech (available in 20 languages): Antonio Tajani, Formal European Parliament ceremony in honour of Simone Veil, 4 July 2017

As the President of the European Parliament urges us to read Simone Veil’s inaugural speech, you can read here the original in French, and here in EnglishYou can also watch her delivering this speech.

 

The power of the ‘Why’ question

I ask you to think about something not in my notes. I was looking around this crowd today, and all of us who used to be in office, all of us who came. Why ?

Because Helmut Kohl gave us the chance to be involved in something bigger than ourselves, bigger than our terms of office, bigger than our fleeting careers, because all of us, sooner or later, will be in a coffin like that.

Watch the speech: Bill Clinton, Personal farewell to Helmut Kohl, 1 July 2017

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The Political Speechwriter's Companion - second edition

The Political Speechwriter's Companion - second edition - Logos Pathos Ethos
Robert A. Lehrman & Eric Schnure

This is THE book to start with as a new political speechwriter but also to go back to as an experienced speechwriter. For this second edition, Robert Lehrman and Eric Schnure have built on their experience as chief speechwriter and speechwriter to former Vice-President Gore and as teachers mainly in the United States but also in Europe, Asia, and [...]
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Quotation of the day

« We will try to talk in a language that everyone can understand. And we will listen, too, and hear people’s concerns. -- Christine Lagarde, Frankfurt and Europe in a new decade, 16 January 2020. ... »
Christine Lagarde
Posted by Isabelle
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Logos Pathos Ethos, July-August 2017

Dear speech-fans and -friends,

Summer is coming: a heat wave has affected Brussels and several places in Europe over the last few days, giving climate change a very direct and tangible feel. You will find a major plea on climate action in the speech UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivered just before the US presidency would announce their decision on the Paris Agreement.

Summer is coming, and so are a few positive events and trends in Europe. They echo in a lighter touch in some of the European speeches. Imagine … John Lennon quoted in the European Council …

Summer is coming, and hopefully for many of you, time for a break, time to read, time to get inspired. If you read French, savourez Trop de fleurs, délicieux petit discours dans lequel Jules Verne nous parle de ce qui nous anime, l’écriture de discours: léger et drôle, un régal de rhétorique au meilleur sens du terme.

Some more examples in our monthly selection of quotes on: logospathosethos.eu

This newsletter will resume after the summer. 

Isabelle


The music makes it memorable

Climate change is undeniable.

Climate action is unstoppable.

And climate solutions provide opportunities that are unmatchable.

Read the full speech here: António Guterres, on Climate action, 30 May 2017

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Logos Pathos Ethos, June 2017

Dear speech-fans and -friends,

What do you remember from President elect Emmanuel Macron’s victory speech at Le Louvre, on 7 May?

I run a quick and informal poll among a few dozens people. Everyone mentioned the European anthem played as the newly elected French President walked to the podium.

And the quote most people remembered was:

« Tout le monde nous disait que c’était impossible, mais ils ne connaissaient pas la France ! » (Everyone told us it was impossible, but they did not know France). Read the full speech here: Emmanuel Macron, Victory speech, Carrousel du Louvre, 7 May 2017

For our next speech: what do we want the audience to remember?

Some more examples in our monthly selection of quotes on: logospathosethos.eu

Isabelle

 

The illiteracy of the modern world is not the incapacity to read or write. 

The illiteracy of the modern world is the incapacity to critical thinking. 

Read the full speech here: Frans Timmermans, Speech at Gazeta Wyborcza in Warsaw, 19 May 2017


My request to you is : how far will you go? What is the next thing? Burning books on the square in front of the Hungarian Parliament ?

Watch the full speech here : Guy Verhofstadt, Debate in the European Parliament on the situation in Hungary, 26 April 2017

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Logos Pathos Ethos, May 2017

Dear speech-fans and -friends,

Suspense had been at its height over the last few weeks.

From all the candidates, who would be selected?

Which speech would have the strongest impact and qualify its author for the final round?

At last, we now know who ‘exemplifies excellence in modern oral rhetoric’: the Cicero Awards were attributed and it is a real pleasure to introduce you to the Grand Award winner: find out how to combine stories that keep the audience with the speaker and build his credibility on a difficult issue; humour that triggers laughters and language that is vivid and visual; and a structure that progressively, in a subtle, yet effective way, leads to a strong call for action. 

In other words, logos, pathos, ethos at its best.

This speech, the other laureates, and our monthly selection are on http://www.logospathosethos.eu

Isabelle

Simplicity:

It bothers me that declaring a simple truth is somehow so controversial. I mean, I get it. I understand why it’s controversial (...)

I can say from experience, it’s hard to get a diversity of ideas from a room full of old, white, straight, cisgender men, who all look like me and who have similar life experiences.

Read the full speech here: James Clapper, Why black lives matter to US intelligence, 4 November 2016

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Logos Pathos Ethos, April 2017

Dear speech-fans and -friends,

This past month was marked by two important events: on the one hand, for all of us caring for Europe, the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome; and on the other hand, for all of us speech-fans and -friends, the selection of the best speeches for the Cicero Awards.

I have prepared this new selection, looking eagerly for how speakers (and their speechwriters) would combine the best of their art and technique to move audiences. Reading the speeches delivered by the European leaders, I have found here and there some good, unexpected, moving lines: you will find them in this selection.

But I have also read some pieces that combine all the these qualities – and many more – in a single speech : these were among the finalists of the Cicero Awards. I had the privilege to read them as a member of the panel for this international competition.

It is as is should be: that the speeches that make it to this final selection ‘exemplify excellence in modern oral rhetoric’.

It is also a source of inspiration and stimulation for all of us if we want the speeches on Europe to match the greatness of this project launched 60 years ago.

To help you in this challenge, a springboard to your skills, network and motivation is the Professional Speechwriters Association’s 2017 World Conference in Washington DC next October. There is even a special discount for you with the code: "LogosPathosEthos".

In the meantime, enjoy the monthly selection on www.logospathosethos.eu 

Isabelle

 

The great potential of the commemorative speeches

Now is the perfect time to recall (Alcide De Gasperi’s) famous words: "The future will not be built through force, nor the desire to conquer, but by the patient application of the democratic method, the constructive spirit of agreement and by respect for freedom." Perhaps these words are not dramatic enough in the age of politics by Twitter. But I still appreciate their truth and power. I still believe they are enough to guide us from here.

Read the full speech here: Donald Tusk, To speakers of EU Parliaments, 17 March 2017

I have to tell you, for those of you who don't know, Max van der Stoel was my political father. I worked with him for many years, when he was High Commissioner on National Minorities we travelled together to all parts of Europe for many years and he taught me everything. Sometimes a person can be lucky enough as I was to be allowed, by a giant, to stand on his shoulders.

Read the full speech here: Frans Timmermans, Prague, 10 March 2017

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