Quotes and speeches of the month

Dear speech-fans and -friends,

Just back from the World Conference of the Professional Speechwriters Association in Washington DC.

Even posting the dozens of pages of notes and documents I bring back could not match what you get by participating: next to high-level expertise and the most up-to-date insight on speeches, it’s meeting and networking with professionals from all over the world; it’s experiencing the power of speeches from talented colleagues; it’s the motivation to become better professionals.

The conference this year ranged from how the political brain works to what wit adds to speeches and speakers, to reflections on the profession of speechwriter – from the making of the State of the Union to what singing and speechwriting have in common. Let us know what you want to explore and we’ll find a way to share this.

You will find the latest selection of quotes and speeches on logospathosethos.eu.

Isabelle

Variations on the power of antithesis

I am convinced that the worst day of European integration is better than the best day of nationalistic Europe.

Read the full speech here : Martin Schulz, The EU and the UK, parting ways but working together, 23 September 2016

Dear speech-fans and -friends, 

Logos, pathos, ethos is back with its summer harvest.

With major elections coming up, several speeches ask what kind of rhetoric we need.

Also in this newsletter, some epideictic speeches - as examples of how commemorating an anniversary can serve as a springboard - and a selection on the beauties of multilingualism. Find more on logospathosethos.eu.

To help you ‘ignite change through speeches, stories, ceremonies and symbols’, the Bibliography section reviews Nancy Duarte’s 2016 book : ‘Illuminate’, together with other useful titles. More under : logospathosethos.eu/bibliography

In just four weeks, speechwriters from all over the world will meet at the Professional Speechwriters Association World Conference. Let us know if you go so that we can meet there – you can still register.

Isabelle

What kind of rhetoric do we need? 

The current lack of public and political engagement in fact-based decision-making even has people asking, have we have entered a "post-factual" era of democracy? One in which the public identifies with populist rhetoric and decisions are made based on fears and assumptions, because people feel science and politics have left them behind.

Read the full speech here : Carlos Moedas, Europe's voyage towards an open global research area, EuroScience Open Forum, 25 July 2016

Dear speech-fans and -friends,

Different speakers, different audiences, different events, yet the same quote :

“A politician is a man who thinks of the next election, while a statesman thinks of the next generation”.

Together with its relevance for us today, this makes it our quote of the month.

If you want to find out who used it, read this month selection of quotes.

European speeches in June have dealt with – obvioulsy - the referendum in United Kingdom, but also history, Asterix and football.

You might also want to meet and learn from Sarah Hurwitz, Michelle Obama’s speechwriter – special thanks to Vital speeches for spotting this Washington Post article.

Logos, pathos, ethos will be back after the summer.

Have a fruitful break.

Isabelle

Dear Speech-fans and -friends,

Why does the art of speeches matter so much?

Speechwriter Simon Lancaster explains it quite well in his Ted talk: (watch:) Speak like a leader. It is becoming viral within the speechwriting community and for good reason.

This month harvest of speeches illustrates his point, by revealing once again the great potential of remembrance speeches, in Hiroshima, Verdun, or on Europe Day.

If you understand French, (écoutez:) La parole comme une arme: l'éloquence en politique. Cette émission radiophonique d’une heure est consacrée à l’éloquence de la politique française mais ses conclusions valent bien au-delà de l’hexagone. 

Enjoy this selection,

Isabelle

The point I’m making here is very serious : The reason we all used to learn rhetoric at school was because it was seen as a basic entry point to society. How could society be fair unless everyone had equal ability to articulate and express themselves ? Without it, your legal systems, your political systems, your financial sytems are not fair. It should be of intense concern to all of us that education in this has been narrowed to a very small and powerful elite (…)

Let’s revive rhetoric, let’s really reinvigorate debates around the world and let’s really give every child on the planet to become a leader.  What should we call this grand initiative ? Well here’s an idea. How about : democracy ?

(Full speech:) Simon Lancaster, Speak like a leader, April 2016 

Commemorating Europe Day

What has happened to you, the Europe of humanism, the champion of human rights, democracy and freedom?

What has happened to you, Europe, the home of poets, philosophers, artists, musicians, and men and women of letters?

What has happened to you, Europe, the mother of peoples and nations, the mother of great men and women who upheld, and even sacrificed their lives for, the dignity of their brothers and sisters?

(Full speech:) Pope Francis, Conferral of the Charlemagne Prize, 6 May 2016 (also available in Arabic, German, French, Italian, Polish, and Portuguese)

Dear speech-fans and -friends

As we celebrate Shakespeare on the 400^th anniversary of his death

Look at Shakespeare: what are the great moments of his work? The sword fights?

No, the speeches,

when someone steps downstage and says, let me tell you what it is, let me tell you what it could be, lend me your ears.

The speeches, and the balcony scene. Those are the parts we remember.

Done right, a good speech can change the world. (…)

Here’s a secret a speechwriter can never forget: people don’t care that much about strategy, or sales goals or market share. They may say they do, but that’s not it.

They want to be inspired. They want to be part of something meaningful and big. And our job is to show them what that feels like.

Every speech is a hero’s journey. But the hero isn’t the speaker up on the stage.

No, no, no.

In our theater, the hero is the man or woman out there in the audience looking for something that will (…) finally let them become the person they long be.

Dain Dunston, The Downside of Up: The Outrageous Fortune of Being a Speechwriter, 2016 Cicero Speechwriting Grand Award, delivered at the 2015 World Conference of the Professional Speechwriters Association

Want more speeches ? Read this monthly selection and the best of the 2016 Cicero Speechwriting Awards.

Want more inspiration ? Join the 2016 World Conference of the Professional Speechwriters Association. PSA offers a special 15% discount to Logos, Pathos, Ethos readers with the code LPE15.

Enjoy this selection,

Isabelle

Perhaps you need an outsider, somebody who is not European, to remind you of the magnitude of what you have achieved. 

President Obama, Address to the People of Europe, Hannover, Germany, 25 April 2016