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
Refutation of the opponent’s argument
Thousands of private corporations, including major oil and gas companies, are taking their own action. They know that green business is good business. It is not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. Some may seek to portray the response to climate change as a fundamental threat to the economy. Yet what we are witnessing in these early years of a systemic response is the opposite. We are seeing new industries. New markets. Healthier environments. More jobs. Less dependency on global supply chains of fossil fuels. The real danger is not the threat to one’s economy that comes from acting. It is, instead, the risk to one’s economy by failing to act.
Simple
The message is simple: The sustainability train has left the station. Get on board or get left behind.
Contrast
Those who fail to bet on the green economy will be living in a grey future.
And the speech comes full circle
Dear
friends,
Let
me conclude where I began -- with all of you and with the power of people to
make a difference
Read the full speech here: António Guterres, on
Climate action, 30 May 2017
Wherever we live, whoever we are, we all share the
same responsibility: Make Our Planet Great Again.
Read the full speech here: Emmanuel Macron, Following
the announcement that US will withdraw from the Paris Agreement, 2 June 2017
Whom do you quote ?
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I am not the only one.
Read the full speech here: Donald Tusk, ahead of the European Council
meetings, 22 June 2017
Repeating three times? Four times? Five times? Six
times!
(For the record, this is still less
than half of the ‘dream’ occurrences (13) in one of the most memorable
speeches, where ‘I have a dream’ comes up 9 times).
We agreed on
dates.
We agreed on
organisation.
We agreed on
priorities for the negotiation (…).
We also agreed
on how we will structure our talks (…).
We agreed that
our closest collaborators will start a dialogue on Ireland.
We also agreed
on the importance of timing for this first phase.
You have to be short ? Even better !
J'ai trois
minutes pour vous parler de 30 années d'un des programmes les plus
emblématiques de l'Union européenne qui de 11 pays à l'origine s'étend
aujourd'hui à 33 pays, et qui, en encourageant la mobilité de tous les jeunes
et en leur permettant de développer leurs talents et leurs compétences, a fait
émerger une véritable Union des citoyens. Trois minutes, c'est court !
Je n'aurai
donc qu'un seul message pour l'avenir : alors que nous allons fêter le 9
millionième jeune Erasmus, soyons ensemble au moins 9 fois plus ambitieux car
Erasmus est une bonne réponse à la bêtise des égoïsmes nationaux et du repli
sur soi.
Read the full speech here: Jean-Claude Juncker, 30th anniversary of Erasmus, 13
June 2017
Build a rapport with the audience
Qui d'entre vous est papa ou maman ? Levez la main
s'il vous plaît. […] Moi aussi. J'ai quatre enfants : deux fils, deux filles.
Et je vous parle maintenant en tant que père à d'autres pères, à des mères.
Qu'est-ce qu'il s'est passé avec nos enfants, pour que cette petite minorité
d'entre eux trouve une justification à tuer leurs voisins, leurs copains
d'école ? Que s'est-il passé ? ( …)
Où est-ce qu'on a échoué, nous, parents ? Quelle est
notre responsabilité ? Je ne vous montre pas du doigt, je nous montre du doigt. C'est une petite minorité, qui parfois nous donne
l'impression qu'elle est presque une majorité.
Read the full speech here: Frans Timmermans, Speech at the Iftar reception hosted by the Conseil Européen des Ouléma Marocains, 15 June 2017
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