called a hook or a grabber.
I don’t want to close my eyes; it makes me feel awkward and exposed to be in a group of people with my eyes closed. Because of that, I keep my eyes open. The problem is when I keep my eyes open, I feel like some sort of horrible nonconformist rebel. I feel awkward with my eyes closed and I feel guilty if they are open. Either way, I just feel bad. Besides, half of the time when speakers tell audience members to close their eyes, they forget to tell us when we can open them. If you are wanting me to imagine a story, just tell me to imagine it, don’t make me close my eyes (rant over).
You should plan your opening to be intentional and with power. “Can everybody hear me” is a weak and uncertain statement and this is not the first impression you want to leave. Do a microphone check before the audience members arrive and have someone stand in different corners of the room to make sure you can be heard. Don’t waste your valuable speech time with questions that you should already know the answer to.
You should know that before you begin. Even if the presentations for the day are running over and you are the last speaker, you should ask the MC before you begin. Always plan your first words with power.
You should make your slides big, really big. Test out your slides in advance of your speech, walk all around the room and make sure you can read them. Have a friend check them out as well. You should know they are big enough because you planned for it and tested it.
People really hate having things taken away, not to mention that your audience may want to take notes on their devices. Chances are you are speaking to adults, let them determine if it is appropriate to have out their technology.
Stop apologizing! Stop making excuses! While these lines may be true, they just come of as excuses and can make the audience either feel like you don’t want to be there, or they just feel sorry for you.
Talking about your nervousness will make you more nervous and will make them look for signs of your nervousness. Just start your speech.
Do not start with hesitation. Plan the first words, memorize the first words, practice the first words. Do not start with “Ok, so um, now I’d like…” Plan strong and start strong.
Do Not Discuss Your Business with People Watching…Really! I Mean It! Many of us are giving and listening to presentations in an online format. I have attended numerous presentations this year through Zoom where I have to sit and watch while the organizers engage in personal small talk or deal with the details of the presentation. This is how the speech I recently attended began. “Donna, you are going to share your screen, right?” “Yes. I have my PowerPoint ready to go. Will you push “record” when I give the signal?” “Sure. Where did you say that button is again? Do you think we should wait five more minutes, I think we had more who were coming? Dave, what was the total we were expecting?” “Yeah, we had 116 sign up, but the reminders went out late so this may be all we have. We can give them a few more minutes to log on.” “Donna, How is your dog? Is she still struggling with her cone since her spay surgery? My dog never would wear the cone –she tore her stitches out and broke her wound open. It was terrible. Well, it looks like it is about time to begin, thank you everyone for coming.” If you are organizing an event online, hosting a speech online, giving a presentation online–please keep it professional. Most platforms will allow you to keep the audience in a waiting room until it is time to start. If you have a business to deal with, keep the audience out until you have everything ready to go. Once the audience is in the meeting, you should engage the audience in group-type small talk or you should just start the presentation. In professional settings, you should start the meeting on time. Why punish those who showed up on time to wait for those who aren’t there yet?
I asked my long-time friend, Bill Rogers, to write an excerpt to add to the book. I met Bill when he was the Chief Development Officer for a hospital in Northwest Arkansas and I met him again when he was reinventing himself as a college student getting a Master’s Degree in the theater. He would love to share a symbolic cup of coffee with you and give you advice about public speaking.
Perfect morning for a walk, isn’t it? Join me for a cup of coffee? Wonderful. Find us a table and I’ll get our coffee.
There you go; just like you like it. There’s nothing like a great cup of coffee on the patio of your neighborhood coffee shop, is there?
Now that you’re settled in your favorite chair, take a sip, and let that glorious caffeine kick in and do its stuff. Okay, let’s talk.
So, you were asking me about public speaking.
Well, let’s see. Where do we begin?
One of the first pieces of advice I ever received was to imagine that every member of your audience is sitting there in their underwear! Yeah, right. That never worked for me. I tried it once with a local civic group of community leaders both male and female. If the intent of that tidbit is to make you relax, it certainly didn’t work for me. It just made me more self-conscious…and more nervous. I not only got distracted, but I also lost my train of thought, I started sweating, and, of course, imagined myself standing there without clothes. Needless to say, that speech was a disaster and I’ve never used it again. I suggest you don’t either.
In the early days, I also relied very heavily on my typed-up speech. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that unless you find yourself reading it word for word as I did. Nothing is more boring nor puts an audience to sleep quicker than a speaker with their nose down reading a speech. There’s no connection and connection with your audience is key.
As you know, I love theatre and I’ve done a bit of acting over the years. Early on, I learned that the quicker I learned my lines, the more I could play, experiment, and shape my character. It relaxed me and gave me enormous freedom. It led me to find a mantra for myself: “With discipline comes freedom.” This freedom will allow you to improvise as your audience or situation dictates while still conveying the core message of your presentation. That discipline and its resulting freedom apply to public speaking of any kind and, I think, will serve you well.
Another old adage we’ve all heard is Aristotle’s advice. You know the one. No? Well, roughly, it’s to tell your audience what you’re going to say, say it, and then tell them what you just said. That’s the basic formula for public speaking. And it works as a good place to start.
However, effective speaking is much more and, to me, it starts with a story or even a simple sentence.
You know the feeling you get when you read the first sentence of a good book and it just reaches out and grabs you? That should be your goal with every presentation. One sentence to capture your audience’s attention. Something that causes them to lean forward. Something that sparks their imagination.
It doesn’t have to be all that profound either. It can be something very simple. A personal story that relates to your topic. A relevant fact or statistic that defines or illustrates the issue or subject matter at hand.
A couple of classics come to mind. The first is Alice Walker’s, “The Color of Purple.”
“You better not tell nobody but God.”
And the second one is from my favorite novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee.
“When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm broken at the elbow.”
Both sentences hook you immediately. A few simple words speak volumes. After reading or hearing those words, you naturally lean in. You want to learn more. You want to find out what happens next. Every effective speech or presentation does the same thing.
Of course, make sure that the first and last thing you say to your audience is both relevant and appropriate. I share this out of an abundance of caution. I once worked for an internationally recognized and well-respected children’s research hospital and I was given the privilege to speak at a national educational convention. The room was filled wall to wall with teachers. I thought I’d be cute and add a little levity. I opened my presentation with this line, “You know, I’ve had nightmares like this…” Instead of the roars of laughter, I was expecting, a wave of silence ensued. Not only was the line not funny, but it was also wholly inappropriate and I immediately lost my audience. Not my best day. Learn from my mistakes.
Finally, let’s touch on the importance of approaching a speech as a conversation. You and I are sitting here enjoying our coffee and having a friendly, relaxed conversation. Strive for that every chance you get. You may not always have that luxury. Some speeches and presentations simply demand formality. But even in those cases, you can usually make it somewhat conversational. I always try to write my speeches in a conversational style. Like I’m talking to a friend…or trying to make a new one.
So, to recap: tell a story, learn your lines, hook your audience with a simple sentence, close with a question or call to action, use repetition, keep it conversational, treat your audience as a friend, and give yourself permission to relax.
Above all, be yourself. Allow yourself to be as relaxed as you are with those closest to you. If you’re relaxed, if you try to think of your audience as a friend, then, in most cases, they too will relax and they will root for you. Even if they disagree with what you are telling them, they will respect you and they will listen.
How about another cup?
Remember This!
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Advanced Public Speaking Copyright © 2021 by Lynn Meade is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Published on 15 Feb 2022
Having a well written welcome speech that you’re confident about goes a long way in overcoming public speaking nervousness.
A great welcome speech sets the tone for the conference. It makes everyone feel welcome and creates the appropriate environment for the exchange of knowledge. The speech should broadly outline the contents of the event and, most importantly, make everyone feel excited for what’s to come.
In this article, you will find our best tips to create a successful welcome speech and some examples with analysis for inspiration.
Formal vs. informal language.
The first thing you should decide is whether you want to use formal or informal language. For larger events that include scientists of various fields where everybody might not know each other, you may want to use formal language. For smaller yearly conferences for researchers in your field where most people know each other, it’s common to use informal language.
I find that, in general, a rather informal or casual speech is more successful. That way you set the tone and bring everyone to the same level, promoting questions, comments, and socialization during the event.
Start with a warm welcome. As alluded before, this can range from very formal (“Good morning to all attendees”) to informal (“Hello and welcome, everyone!”). These will be your first words, so you need to grab everyone’s attention—use a clear, strong voice.
A smile goes a long way to make everyone feel welcome and in a good mood. Make eye contact as you start addressing the room.
It can be great to inject a bit of humor, if appropriate. It could be something as simple as, “We are lucky to be in such a beautiful location with so many beaches close by. I hope that is not the main reason you’re here!”.
Is it a first-time event, a yearly conference put on by a scientific organization? In any case, you’ll want to mention the motivation behind the conference, what brings you together. If the event is related to a specific organization, you can mention its history and purpose.
It is common for scientific conferences to have one or more distinguished guests or speakers. Mention them and thank them for accepting the invitation to participate. Make sure you have their names, credentials and affiliations correct.
If the event is being held for the first time, thank the creators by name. Give some words of appreciation to the organizing committee. You don’t need to mention every single person involved, but rather the essential ones.
Mention the main topic(s) of the conference, the common interests for all attendees. For annual conferences of scientific organizations, a specific subject within the field is usually chosen for each year. For example, for an annual meeting of an immunology organization, the year's topic could be “Infectious Diseases” or “Immunotherapies.”
Briefly outline the event’s agenda. You can mention whether there will be sessions with specific (sub)topics, poster presentations, spaces for exchange and networking. Don’t get into too many details. You can direct people to the conference brochure, if there is one, for specifics on the schedule.
End your speech on a high note by getting everyone excited about the talks to come. Highlight all the strengths of the conference: any high-impact research that will be shown, the variety of topics that will be covered, the great number of attendees, the different countries represented.
If the first speaker follows your welcome speech, don’t forget to introduce him or her. Introduce them with their full name and credentials and give a brief description of their career achievements.
Practice with colleagues and friends to get some feedback and familiarize yourself with your speech. You want to be familiar enough that you don’t need to look down at your notes constantly. However, don’t over rehearse. You don’t want to sound robotic, but rather natural and conversational.
Be sure you know how to pronounce all the names in your speech. Make eye contact with the audience and with specific attendees as you mention their names.
In general, you should keep your speech short, usually around 5 minutes. Consult with the organizing committee so you know how long they expect you to talk.
Virtual events are very common right now and likely will be for a while. This creates some challenges when giving a welcome speech. Making eye contact with the attendees is not possible when you’re on a video call. That being said, you can still give a great speech and get people excited virtually. Just make sure that people can clearly see and hear you before you start.
1. welcome and opening remarks - 2015 coast/ssew symposium.
In the above example of opening remarks for a scientific symposium , the speaker starts by welcoming everyone with a smile and lots of eye contact. It seems the attendees are in the same field of research and among familiar faces. Accordingly, her language is informal. She adds a bit of humor when she talks about collecting money in a bowl.
She follows by explaining the origin of the organization that the symposium is for, along with the main topics that will be covered. In the middle, she asks the audience some questions to keep them engaged. Finally, she creates positive expectations by presenting a “sneak peek” of brand-new research and mentioning “leaders” in the field of microbiome.
Read this welcome speech for an annual international conference.
This seems to be a scientific conference with attendees from various countries and from a broad range of fields. The formal language used is therefore appropriate. The speaker welcomes the attendees and introduces the distinguished keynote speakers.
The origins and goals of the conference are outlined. He broadly describes the topics that will be discussed. Then, he thanks the organizing committee, companies and volunteers involved. Finally, he mentions “internationally notorious speakers,” a great way to spark people’s interest.
In this welcoming address, the speaker starts by warmly welcoming the audience. He uses rather informal language since it seems this is a regularly held event where most people know each other. He throws in some humor, directly addresses the audience, and asks them questions to grab their attention at the beginning.
By conveying the value that the attendees will find in the lectures to come, he creates anticipation. He makes lots of eye contact throughout and doesn’t even have notes! By the end, he tells a personal story and connects it to the theme of the event.
With these tips and examples, we hope that you are inspired to write a great welcome speech. Remember to keep it brief, conversational, and not overly formal, unless necessary. Eye contact and a smile go a long way.
If you’re looking for more general conference presenting tips, you should read our 15 Best Tips for Presenting at a Conference .
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Starting a presentation in english: methods and examples.
If you’re going to make it in the professional world, most likely you’ll have to give a presentation in English at some point. No reason to get nervous!
Most of the work involved lies in the introduction. You may or may not need an English presentation PPT file, your topic, audience, or time limit may vary, but a strong opening is a must no matter what! Everything that follows can build from the opening outline you present to your audience.
Let’s look at some guidelines for starting a presentation in English. If you can master this part, you’ll never have to worry about the rest!
While it’s important to have your entire presentation organized and outlined, planning and organization are especially important in the introduction. This is what will guide you through a clear and concise beginning. Let’s look at how to start a presentation with well-organized thoughts .
As we say, it’s as easy as 1-2-3. (No need for a more detailed English presentation script!) Let’s examine the first step.
The self-introduction is your opportunity to make a good first impression. Be sure to open with a warm welcome and use language that is familiar and natural. Based on your audience, there are a few different expressions you can use to start your presentation.
If you’re presenting to coworkers who may already know you:
If you’re presenting to people you’ve never met:
There are certainly more ways to make an introduction. However, it’s generally best to follow this format:
Now that your audience knows who you are and your qualifications, you can state the purpose of your presentation. This is where you clarify to your audience what you’ll be talking about.
So, ask yourself, “ What do I want my audience to get from this presentation? ”
With your goal in mind, you can create the next couple of lines of your presentation. Below are some examples of how to start.
When talking about the purpose of your presentation, stick to your goals. You purpose statement should be only one to three sentences. That way, you can give your audience a clear sense of purpose that sets them up for the rest of the presentation.
The final step in starting your presentation is to give a short outline of what you’ll be presenting. People like a map of what to expect from a presentation.
It helps them organize their thoughts and gives a sense of order. Also, it lets the audience know why they’re listening to you. This is what you’ll use to grab their attention, and help them stay focused throughout the presentation.
Here are some examples of how you can outline your presentation:
That’s it! It’s as simple as 1-2-3. If you have a fear of public speaking or are not confident about presenting to a group of people, follow these three steps. It’s a simple structure that can get you off to a good start. With that in mind, there are other ways to bring your introduction to the next level too! Read on for bonus tips on how to really engage your audience, beyond the basics.
Presentations aren’t everyone’s strongest ability, and that’s OK. If you’re newer to presenting in English, the steps above are the basics to getting started. Once you’re more comfortable with presenting, though, you can go a step further with some extra tricks that can really wow your audience.
Mastering the skill of engaging an audience will take experience. Fortunately, there are many famous speakers out there you can model for capturing attention. Also, there are some common techniques that English-speakers use to gain an audience’s attention.
*How and when you use these techniques in your introduction is at your discretion, as long as you cover the 3 steps of the introduction outline that we discussed earlier.*
The purpose of shocking your audience is to immediately engage them. You can make a loud noise and somehow relate the noise to your presentation. Or, you can say, “ Did you know that… ” and follow with a shocking story or statistic. Either way, the objective is to create surprise to draw their attention.
Telling a story related to your presentation is a great way to get the audience listening to you.
You can start by saying, “ On my way to [location] the other day… ” or “ On my way here, I was reminded of… ” and then follow with a story. A good story can make your presentation memorable.
Sometimes a good introduction that captures attention will involve asking for help from the audience. You can ask the audience to play a quick game or solve a puzzle that’s related to your presentation. Also, you could engage the audience with a group exercise. This is a great way to get people involved in your presentation.
There are many more ways to engage the audience, so get creative and see what you can think up! Here are some resources that will help you get started.
Also, if you want to get better at public speaking (and help your English speaking too!), a great organization to know about is the Toastmasters . The organization is dedicated to helping you be a better speaker, and there are many local groups in America. They offer free lessons and events to help you master your English speaking, and also offer additional help to paying members.
A presentation in English? No problem, as long as your introduction sets you up for success . Admittedly, this can be easier said than done. Native speakers and non-native speakers alike sometimes struggle with getting a good start on their English presentation. But the advice above can help you get the confidence you need to lay a good foundation for your next speech !
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Want to move audiences? Develop a powerful opening! Here is how to start a speech, including 12 foolproof ways to grab audiences in public speaking.
Let's talk about how to start a speech. When it comes to persuading, inspiring, or influencing an audience, your opening is by far the most important moment in your performance.
So how do you begin a presentation in ways that will get an audience on your side and start you on the road to speaking memorably?
Learn this skill and 101 tips and tricks for more successful speaking in my Public Speaking Handbook, How to Give a Speech . Also available as an Amazon bestseller!
Let's imagine that you're finally pitching to that audience of decision makers. It's the high-stakes opportunity you've been waiting for, and you've put together a killer presentation. There's just one problem: how do you start the thing off with a bang? Remember, anyone can give an ordinary presentation. It's your job to stand out from the crowd for career success.
Your Opening Sets the Tone of Your Presentation
You probably already know you need to begin with power and purpose. You're just not sure how . . . or for that matter, exactly why.
The answer is that, when it comes to influencing listeners in speeches and presentations, two concepts explain why your beginning and ending need to be particularly strong. I'll discuss both concepts here, then provide some powerful tools for your opening gambit: your speech Introduction .
Ready to set your audience on fire?
This article is available as a free PDF . Click here to download "How to Start a Speech - 12 Foolproof Ways to Grab Your Audience!" Learn and practice starting out powerfully!
Your Introduction and Conclusion Need to Be Strong
The two concepts concerning why you need to start and end strongly, are primacy and recency . Primacy states that people remember most vividly what they hear at the beginning of a speech. Recency says those same people will strongly recall what you say at the end. In terms of public speaking, this translates into your introduction and conclusion. And you really do need to start early. Here's how to create an opening your audience will remember .
In more practical terms, there are three specific reasons why your introduction needs to be engaging and interesting immediately :
(1) Audiences make judgments about you and your message in the first minute. After that point, you'll be able to change those opinions about as easily as you can change a hamster into a ham sandwich. So here's how to be strong in the first 60 seconds of your speech .
(2) Your opening sets the entire tone of your presentation (including whether you'll be interesting or not).
(3) This is when you introduce your message and tell the audience why they should listen.
Sound like a tall order? It isn't, if you use the seven key components of successful presentations . Your audience needs to be both fully engaged and predisposed favorably toward you and your message. Neither will happen unless you can grab their attention, so they're onboard when you spin your verbal magic. Keep reading to learn how that's done.
Ready to boost your influence with stakeholders? Grab your copy of my book, Speak for Leadership . Learn an executive speech coach's secrets! Get it today here or on Amazon .
Achieving the objective of a 'grabbing' opening takes thought, a bit of imagination, and yes, a little creativity. The good news is that since you know your topic well and you're psyched up for the big game (it's an audience of decision-makers, remember?), you should be well positioned to succeed.
Primacy won't have much of a chance to operate, though, if you use what I call the 'Today, I'm going to talk about . . .' opening. This is boring! Be on the lookout instead for something that will pique the interest of your listeners, and perhaps surprise them. And here's something else you absolutely need to know: 20 ways to connect with an audience for lasting influence .
A few minutes of focused thinking should be all you need to know how to come up with an effective opening. And remember to avoid that I call introducing your introduction. That sounds like this: 'Let me start out with a story . . .', or, 'I heard a very funny joke the other day . . . ' Or even the inexplicable 'Before I begin . . . ' since you've already begun!
Just tell us the story, the joke, or the in-the-know reference that will delight your listeners. But if you signal your effect beforehand, you water down its potency and its power to surprise.
So how can you be completely focused and on your game?
As a springboard to launching your presentation with verve and originality, here are a dozen rhetorical devices you can use. Each of them is an effective 'speech hook that you can use to start any speech or presentation:
You could literally think of dozens more from your own experience or that of your audience. Remember, the best grabbers engage an audience immediately, both intellectually and emotionally. Interestingly, these same devices can be used to conclude in a way that keeps your audience thinking about what you said. It's all part of my six rules for effective public speaking .
Coming up with an exciting grabber and clincher involves some work on your part. But the rewards if you're successful more than justify the effort.
How about a few examples? Here are four great openings that illustrate some of the grabbers listed above:
Jesus , Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." — Startling statement.
Bill Clinton , 1993 speech in Memphis to ministers (after having heard himself introduced as "Bishop Clinton"): "You know, in the last ten months, I've been called a lot of things, but nobody's called me a bishop yet. When I was about nine years old, my beloved and now departed grandmother, who was a very wise woman, looked at me and she said, 'You know, I believe you could be a preacher if you were just a little better boy.'" — Humor
Jane Fonda in her TED Talk "Life's Third Act": "There have been many revolutions over the last century, but perhaps none as significant as the longevity revolution. We are living on average today 34 years longer than our great-grandparents did. Think about that: that's an entire second adult lifetime that's been added to our lifespan." — Statistic.
Steve Jobs , 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University: "Truth be told, I never graduated from college, and this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today, I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it, no big deal—just three stories. The first story is about connecting the dots. I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another eighteen months or so before I really quit. So why'd I drop out? It started before I was born." — Story, with a seamless transition into his speech.
Do you like mysteries and supernatural suspense? — Here's something for you!
London, 1888. 'Jack the Ripper' is terrorizing London. Scotland Yard surgeon/detective Dr. William Scarlet is about to uncover his identity. Year of the Rippers : A Supernatural Thriller !
You should follow me on Twitter here .
Gary Genard is an actor, author, and expert in public speaking training and overcoming speaking fear. His company, Boston-based The Genard Method offers live 1:1 Zoom executive coaching and corporate group training worldwide. In 2022 for the ninth consecutive year, Gary has been ranked by Global Gurus as One of the World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals . He is the author of the Amazon Best-Seller How to Give a Speech . His second book, Fearless Speaking , was named in 2019 as "One of the 100 Best Confidence Books of All Time." His handbook for presenting in videoconferences, Speaking Virtually offers strategies and tools for developing virtual presence in online meetings. His latest book is Speak for Leadership: An Executive Speech Coach's Secrets . Contact Gary here.
Tags: leadership skills , public speaking training , public speaking , business presentations , public speaking tips , Speaking for Leadership , Public Speaking Techniques , how to start a speech , how to give a speech , speech introduction , how to persuade an audience , how to open a speech , speech coach , speech coaching , public speaking for leadership , presentations , The Genard Method , Dr. Gary Genard , CEO , speak for leadership , public speaking training company , executive coaching , keynote speaker training , how to start a presentation , motivational speaker training , TEDx speaker training , public speaking coaching , speech hooks , speech training , speech expert , online public speaking training , executive coach , public speaking books , leadership books , books on leadership , leadership expert , leadership authors , executive speech coaching , speech for leadership , public speaking for doctors , public speaking for lawyers , public speaking for engineers , public speaking for IT professionals , public speaking for data scientists , public speaking for scientists , public speaking for business , how to win friends and influence people , public speaking for business executives , talk like TED , Red Season , Dr. William Scarlet Mysteries
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Have you ever been to a conference where the welcome speech left you wanting more information or didn’t make you excited for what’s to come? Yikes! You may not be alone in that sentiment.
But were you invited to give the welcome speech for the upcoming conference you’re attending, and want to do a better job? Fun stuff, congratulations!
We can’t take the conference jitters away, but we can help you learn about welcome speeches and how to write one in this article. In the end, you’ll see how Orvium helps the research community prepare for a conference.
A welcome speech (or address) sets the tone for a conference or event. The speech must describe what’s to come and get everyone excited for the event and feel welcome. It should also create an appropriate environment for knowledge sharing.
Anyone can deliver a welcome speech, but a minimum of excellent presentation skills, fun and creative demeanor, and the ability to be personable are major pluses. If you haven’t given a speech of this caliber before, remember that preparing your notes, writing your speech, and delivering it are all a part of the process . Practice makes perfect.
An excellent welcome speech will unite the audience, helping them come together for a common purpose.
See some examples of welcome speeches here , and learn how to write your own below.
1. get the event focus and tone right.
Since a welcome speech sets the tone for a conference or event, you must ensure it’s informative and interesting. While thinking about this, decide whether or not you’ll use formal or informal language . How you choose, structure, and deliver your words matters. These all come together to create the “tone”.
To decide between formal and informal language for your welcome speech, consult the graph below:
Typically, you’ll want to use formal language for a conference (but not overly formal) depending on your audience demographics and ensure everyone can understand you. A welcome speech has the following structure:
Pro tip : you want to connect with your audience, grab their attention, and get them excited about the event, so start with a strong but warm opening. Don’t mention everyone involved throughout your speech, as that can get lengthy; instead, mention the essential speakers, organizations, associations, or volunteers. Finally, end the speech on a good note to get everyone excited with stats and pertinent information, such as:
If you don’t know where to start, follow this welcome speech planner and read the information below.
From our Full Guide to Planning an Academic Conference, you know that your welcome speech must add value to the conference , just as each keynote and session speaker does. To do so, research (and reach out to) essential participants (keynote, session speakers, vendors, etc.) to make sure you know what kind of approach you can take with your speech. Humor works in the right circumstances, but you must spend time thinking it through; not all jokes will be taken lightly, and you want to avoid any misunderstandings.
Remember, your goal is to unite and bring together like-minded individuals who all have a common purpose, that of advancing and sharing knowledge .
In your notes or outline, you’ll want to include the following steps:
Important to note : for virtual events, ensure that attendees can see and hear you clearly and look up from your notes or outline often.
As you’re finalizing your notes or draft, ensure that your speech is around the five-minute mark to avoid boredom or giving the audience too much information right off the bat (to not take away from any speakers). Consult with the organizing committee about a time frame, as the length of the speech can vary from conference to conference.
Pro tip : add individual greetings as necessary for special guests, speakers, or sponsors.
Once you’ve done the necessary research, outlined, and written your welcome speech, it’s time to rehearse it a few times to familiarize yourself with your speech. Read it out loud and practice it with colleagues or friends to get their input and feedback on areas of possible improvement.
However, don’t over-rehearse your speech . You want to still sound natural, not robotic or like you’re reading a script.
Again, ensure you know how to pronounce everyone’s name and credentials as you’re rehearsing, and practice making enough eye contact with the audience or specific attendees as you’re speaking.
No one can take the nerves of giving the opening speech at a conference away; however, Orvium can make it less nerve-wracking. If you’re having trouble finding colleagues or like-minded individuals to review your speech outline and give you feedback, you can reach out to one of the Orvium communities to get to know other people in the field.
Who knows, maybe you’ll meet members and form friendships that’ll last a lifetime.
As for giving your welcome speech, remember to get the tone right, keep it brief, and don’t make it overly formal (unless absolutely necessary). Also, a smile and a lot of eye contact go a long way . Let’s get people excited about new scientific discoveries! Want to see more of what we do? Check out our platform to discover what matters to you.
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Welcome speech for seminar.
A welcome speech is given at the beginning of an event or gathering, usually by a host or organiser, that welcomes the audience and sets the tone for the event. It is typically used to introduce the theme or purpose of the event and to thank any special guests or sponsors for their participation. Welcome speeches often include a brief overview of the events planned for the gathering and may include a call to action or an invitation to participate.
Good morning everyone, welcome to our seminar today!
We are honoured to have such a distinguished group of teachers and students joining us.
Today's event promises an engaging and enlightening experience for all of us.
Let's open our minds and hearts to new ideas as we come together to learn new facts and share knowledge.
I would like to warmly welcome our guest speakers and facilitators, who have generously agreed to share their expertise with us.
Let us all take advantage of this opportunity to grow and learn together.
We have an exciting lineup of topics and activities for the day, so let's make the most of it!
A big thank you to our organising committee for putting this seminar together and for all the hard work that went into it.
Let's all work together to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where all voices are heard and respected.
So, let's begin this journey of learning and discovery together! Thank you for being here.
On behalf of the student council, I am honoured to welcome all of the teachers and students who have gathered here today for this seminar. It is truly a privilege to have the opportunity to learn from such experienced and knowledgeable educators.
As students, we constantly seek ways to expand our knowledge and improve our understanding of the world. This seminar is a perfect opportunity for us to do just that, as we can hear from experts in various fields and learn about new and exciting research. To the students here today, I want to remind you to make the most of this opportunity.
I want to thank the teachers who have organised this event and generously donated their time and expertise to make this seminar a reality. Your dedication to education is truly inspiring, and we are very grateful for this opportunity to learn from you.
A special welcome is also extended to the guest speakers joining us today. We appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge and expertise, and I am confident that everyone here will gain something from your presentation.
In conclusion, this seminar will be a valuable and informative experience for all of us. So let's make the most of this opportunity and take away something new and exciting to share with our peers. Thanks again to all the teachers and guest speakers for making this seminar possible.
Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to this seminar! I am honoured to be here today as the student representative, welcoming all of you to this event.
First and foremost, I would like to welcome our esteemed teachers and faculty members who have taken the time to come to this seminar and share their knowledge and expertise with us. Your dedication and commitment to our education are genuinely appreciated, and we are grateful for the opportunity to learn from you.
I would also like to welcome all of the students who have made an effort to attend this seminar. Your presence here today demonstrates your desire to learn and grow, and I'm looking forward to learning and growing with you. This seminar is a chance for us to challenge ourselves and broaden our perspectives.
Today's seminar is an important event for all of us, as it will provide us with valuable insights and information on a topic that is essential to our education and future careers. The theme of this seminar is [topic], and we have gathered some of the most knowledgeable and experienced professionals in the field to speak to us today.
As students, we are all aware of the importance of [topic] in our lives. Whether we are studying it in our classes or planning to pursue a career in this field, understanding this subject is crucial for our success. The speakers today have been hand-picked to provide us with the most up-to-date and relevant information on this topic, and I know that we will all benefit significantly from their presentations.
In addition to the keynote speeches, we will also be holding interactive panel discussions, which will allow for an open exchange of ideas and opinions between the speakers and the attendees. This will be an excellent opportunity for everyone to learn from one another and gain new insights. Apart from the intellectual stimulation, we have also taken care of your physical well-being. We will be providing refreshments and snacks throughout the day, ensuring that you stay energised and focused.
The importance of this event cannot be overstated, and I would like to take a moment to appreciate the hard work, dedication, and the time spent by our organisers in putting it together. They have worked tirelessly to ensure that everything runs smoothly and efficiently, and I would like to thank them for their efforts.
I would also like to remind you all that this seminar is not just about learning from the experts but also about networking and building connections. We have the opportunity to meet and interact with other students and professionals who share our interests and passions, and these connections can be precious in our future careers.
In conclusion, I would like to thank all of you for being here today, and I hope that you will make the most of this opportunity to learn and grow. I am excited to hear the presentations and participate in the interactive sessions, and I look forward to the discussions and connections that will be made.
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Don’t get tongue-tied before going live. Here are a few tips and a template to write a perfect webinar script and nail your next welcome speech for an engaging live webinar virtual event.
An unfocused, long-winded presentation introduction could chase someone off before you’ve even gotten the webinar started. When an attendee leaves a webinar early, it puts a dent in the presenter’s confidence.
To make an immediate splash and connect with your audience, presenters need strong but short opening remarks. You should hook the audience with compelling storytelling and set expectations from the get-go — and a succinct, engaging webinar welcome speech can help them do just that.
But what exactly makes a perfect webinar welcome speech? Here’s where to start:
In this guide, we’ll break down how to write a welcome speech and walk you through the essential parts of creating the perfect webinar script.
Boost your speaker’s confidence with our webinar speaker guidelines. provide expert tips on lighting, camera angles, and what not to wear for your next live event., in this article:.
Before writing a welcome address for a webinar, you’ll need to divide your intro into a few important sections.
We’ve broken down the steps below to help guide you through the process.
When greeting your webinar attendees, remember that your team members work across regions, time zones, and even countries. Make sure to use a greeting that isn’t time-sensitive (e.g., “good morning”) and keep it succinct. “Hello and welcome” is always a safe choice.
After greeting them, thank attendees for their time upfront – don’t wait until the end. Make sure they feel valued by sharing some appreciation, but keep it simple and sincere. And set initial expectations by sharing how long your webinar presentation will last.
“Hello and welcome to our [type of event] . In this 45-minute webinar, we hope you learn [list a few key takeaways] . Thank you for taking the time to join us today.”
German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus says people forget most of what they learn within an hour. And according to Ebbinghaus’s “ Forgetting Curve ,” humans typically forget around 75% of what they’ve learned within two days.
One way to improve attendees’ memory is to explain how what they’re going to learn will benefit them. If the reason is clear, their brains will prioritize the information.
After thanking your audience, give a brief overview of the topic so you can continue explaining to them why the webinar is worth their time (even more on this later).
Sharing a cheat sheet, workbook, or template at the end of the event? Now’s the time you share that, as well. Nothing hooks people like free goodies. Be clear about what your audience can expect and any takeaways they’ll receive:
“We’ll cover X, so you can learn Y. We’ve also got a free cheat sheet for you at the end of the session, so stay tuned to learn more.”
“In this masterclass, we’ll share six secret copywriting tips to write better ads with higher conversion rates. Whether you’re a blogger, entrepreneur, business owner, or another digital marketing professional, you’ll leave feeling ridiculously confident about making money from online business advertising. And with our free copywriting cheat sheet at the end — stay tuned for that one — you can start moving customers through your sales funnel today.”
When previewing your topic, keep the focus on attendee benefits and don’t go into too much detail about the webinar content or host yet.
Some examples of power words include:
You can boost your audience’s interest further by calling your webinar a “masterclass” or “seminar.” The word “presentation” sounds too formal, and “webinar” is used often, so consider a different distinction.
You’ve shared the topic and have set some expectations — now it’s time to let people know how they can participate in your webinar.
A recent HubSpot survey asked participants which element they’d most like to see covered in a webinar, and the most popular response — at 22% — is “A host or presenter that takes questions from the audience.” Talk to your attendees about polls, chat, and other features you’ve planned for audience engagement .
“To make sure we’re helping you as best as we can on [topic] , we have a chat box to collect your questions. We’ll also have [share engagement tactics , such as polls or social media tags] .”
It’s better to show, not tell, at this point, though. Some ways to do so:
Then spell out how people can engage and when you’ll be responding to them:
“Feel free to drop questions on the topic or share your struggles and experiences. We’ll answer your questions by the end of each guest session.”
“The moderator will collect the most upvoted questions so we can answer them for you at the end of the presentation.”
Go on to extend help: “If you have any questions at this point, feel free to drop them in the chat box below.”
This is also an important time to share whether the webinar recording will be available later. If you also plan to share the presentation deck or any other materials, be sure to communicate that as well so attendees know how to access and use them.
Ideally, it makes sense to tell people who they’re watching on their screens as you welcome them in the beginning.
But you don’t want to go into the details of your experience if you’re also the speaker. The reason? Attendees will forget about your expertise if you dig into housekeeping after introducing yourself. So you’ll need to reintroduce yourself and other guests or topical mentors (if there are any), which will stretch your webinar welcome speech.
So a good, natural move is to throw in your one-line introduction at the start and share more about your expertise later on. However, it does depend on your role (moderator vs. host vs. speaker).
When sharing your experience as a speaker, add a pinch of storytelling to your introduction. But remember to keep it short. Try this three-step storytelling formula :
Now let’s talk about how to introduce guests. Aim to keep it natural. Rehearse so you don’t have to read it from your script.
Share each guest’s name, background, and experience. It’s best to include guests’ expertise by sharing the results they’ve driven.
“Shane has written ads that have driven $ 6 million in revenue for their clients.” This shows why a guest is the best person they can learn from on the topic.
Don’t take long with guest introductions and thanking sponsors. Instead of orating their entire history, choose specifics from their experience that are relevant to the webinar topic.
Note that throughout the introduction, you’ve shared reasons for attendees to stay. The topic, guest list, and takeaway all do this job.
The last step in creating the best webinar welcome speech is to reiterate the topic for a quick refresh and to capture the attention of those joining in late.
Again, keep it short and try not to repeat yourself, even though you’ve discussed the topic. At this point, talk about the agenda. According to HubSpot, 30% of webinar participants want to attend a presentation that teaches them how to do a specific task — so make sure you’re letting them know what they can expect to learn.
“Our guests today will teach you how to live stream like a pro. So next time you run your live session, you’ll be a lot more confident.” Then mention the areas you’ll cover.
In your closing technique, when you talk about the areas you’ll cover, keep it to three points, so attendees don’t forget what the session will include.
If you’re looking to craft the perfect webinar welcome speech, save time with a template. But remember to write it out step-by-step, practice, and put your own spin on it before going live!
“Hello and welcome. I’m your host and speaker/moderator, [name] . Thank you for taking the time to join us today as we talk about [topic] .
You’ll leave with [share benefits of learning topic — best limited to three benefits] . We’ve also got a free [takeaway type] for you at the end of the session, so stay tuned to learn more about it.
And, to make sure we’re helping you as best as we can on [topic] , we have a chat box where you can submit your questions. We’ll also have [engagement tools, such as polls] to share with you.
Feel free to drop questions on the topic or share your struggles and experiences. We’ll answer your questions by the end of each guest session (or, “The moderator will collect the most upvoted questions so we can answer them for you at the end of the presentation”).
Also, don’t worry about taking notes — we will send the session’s recording and training video via email with in [specify time] .
So without further ado, let me introduce you to the pros who will talk about [reiterate topic] .
Today, t hese guests will teach you how to [topic] so [ benefit] .
Ready? Let’s get started! Here’s [first speaker].
And to wrap things up, let’s answer some final questions on successful webinar introductions:
Start your webinar welcome speech with a warm greeting and thank attendees for their time. Next, briefly introduce the topic and set expectations by sharing any takeaways or freebies attendees will receive (e.g., “expert secrets,” in-depth reports or case studies, or template downloads). Outline how they can participate and whether the recording will be available. Finally, introduce your guests before kicking off the event.
Create a rough outline of all that you want to cover in your webinar. Areas of focus include the webinar welcome speech, guest speaker topics, and the call to action (CTA) steps that you want attendees to take after watching the webinar.
End a webinar speech by sharing takeaways or freebies (if any) and pointing out the action step that participants need to take. If you’re going to send attendees a follow-up survey or poll, let recipients know that, with their permission, you’ll potentially use their feedback in webinar testimonials. It’s also a good idea to tell attendees you’re looking forward to their success on the topic you’ve covered in the webinar.
Originally published on November 1, 2021. Updated on May 5, 2023.
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Masooma Memon is a freelance writer for SaaS and lover of to-do lists. When she's not writing, she usually has her head buried in a business book or fantasy novel. Connect with her on Twitter .
Masooma is a contributing writer. Vimeo commissions pieces from a variety of experts to provide a range of insights to our readers, and the views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author. All content and any external links are provided for informational purposes only.
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By: Grace He | Updated: March 18, 2024
You found our list of opening and closing remarks for meetings .
Opening and closing remarks for meetings are statements that introduce and wrap up workplace get-togethers. The purpose of these remarks is to set the tone of the subject matter and summarize topics covered during the meeting. Examples of opening and closing remarks for meetings include quick welcomes to attendees, announcements explaining the reason for the meeting, and conclusions that wrap up the content covered.
Utilizing opening and closing remarks is among the top public speaking tips for employees . You can use conference jokes or conference quotes as your opening or closing remarks. These icebreaker jokes are a great addition to your conference agenda .
This list includes:
Here we go!
Preparing opening and closing remarks will provide definitive starting and ending points for your meetings. You can set the tone while alerting attendees to the main topic as well as sharing a list of agenda items. These remarks also create an opportunity to open your meeting with a warm welcome and close on a note of gratitude and encouragement.
Next, read about virtual workshop ideas and virtual brainstorming ideas , and team meeting tips .
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about opening and closing remarks for meetings.
Opening and closing remarks for meetings are introductions and conclusions that bring a sense of organization to your agenda. You can use opening remarks to announce the topic of your meeting, while closing remarks will provide a wrap-up and alert attendees to any follow-up meetings or actions needed.
Good opening remarks are important because they set the tone for the meeting, set goalposts, and keep listeners engaged. Similarly, good closing statements summarize essential topics, establish goals for future sessions, and provide calls to action.
Some options for good opening remarks include quick reasons for the meeting and brief rundowns of topics you will cover. Choosing an opener that matches the tone of the topics you want to address is essential.
Preparing good closing remarks can be as simple as reiterating information already covered and assigning the next steps. Additionally, these remarks should leave meeting attendees with a sense of understanding and accomplishment. Examples of some good closing remarks include thank yous to workers for attending, confirmations of the following steps, and reminders of follow-up items.
Author: Grace He
People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.
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People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com.
Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.
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Opening speech generator.
Whether you are opening for a small gathering such as minor events or a big one like global conferences, public speaking always gives people stage fright. If you are nervous, you have all the reasons to feel that way. You must already know it since you are here, but one helpful tip to combat nervousness is preparation. That said, turn on your gears and practice your speech writing skills as you compose your opening speech.
1. general opening speech.
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An opening speech is a talk that people give to welcome guests and give a brief overview of what will happen in an event. People give this type of speech during formal and informal gatherings. Just as the name states, the purpose of an opening speech is to open programs.
Giving an opening statement means giving the people something to measure for their first impression. When you get on that stage and give your speech, you are doing the first performance of the event itinerary . It is your responsibility to set the vibe for the entirety of the gathering. That said, you should ensure to give a grand opening speech.
The first words that come out of your mouth when you hold the microphone are a defining factor in the quality of your speech. In writing this segment, ensure to incorporate a hook. It should be effective enough to captivate and retain the attention of your audience throughout your whole speech. One method that will help you to devise your introduction is by conducting an audience analysis . Doing this will give you an idea of how to catch the attention of your listeners.
Of course, one of the purposes of giving an opening speech at every event is to welcome the guests. Convey how thankful the organizers are for their acceptance of the event invitation . Also, do not forget to thank them for sparing time for the program. If there are important people on your attendance list , you should show them your appreciation by giving them a special mention.
The next step is to write the part where you explain the reason for holding the event. To make things interesting, you can give a very brief history or a fascinating fact about the program. Ensure to compose this segment properly. This part is what will give the audience an idea of what to expect for the ceremony.
In giving a welcome speech for guests , you should not consume too much of the people’s time. That said, after the previous steps, you should now start coming up with a conclusion. In concluding your speech, you should once again thank the guests. After that, you should introduce the next speaker or performer.
Good speech openings are those that can rouse the emotions of the audience. Despite that, you should tailor your introduction based on the formality of the gathering you are attending. For example, giving an opening speech for an event should be something that would brighten the atmosphere. On the other hand, when giving a welcome speech for conference , you should try a more formal approach and include essential meeting details.
Aside from mentioning your name, there are other things you should include in your self-introduction speech . Before deciding what details to add to what you will say, you should first consider your audience and the formality of the setting. Despite that, one universal tip that is appropriate for multiple circumstances is to give a brief background of yourself and your accomplishments.
In giving a speech, it is always advisable to compose a speech outline and practice what you will say. Another necessary thing that you should consider is how you will establish a connection with your listeners. One way to do this is by maintaining eye contact with your audience. Also, during your speech, you should use appropriate hand gestures.
Giving opening speeches are a heavy responsibility. Knowing that you would be the first person to go up the podium can make a person’s heartbeat twice as fast as it usually would. That said, you should prepare ahead and secure to write a killer opening speech. That way, you can walk towards the mic with confident steps.
Text prompt
Create an opening speech for a community event
Help me write an opening speech for an art exhibition
When you stand in front of a crowd of attendees and you want to start your speech; sometimes you wonder how to start the presentation. This problem is more challenging at a scientific event . You must welcome the audience and be focused on the content? How should you start talking? What should you tell people? In this post, we have listed tips and opening speech samples. Those are useful for conferences and seminars and webinars .
1) mention the event organizer.
All the experts in opening Speech examples recommend that start the presentation with an appreciation to the event organizer. You can tell that you are thankful that the event planner has invited you to speak at the scientific event.
The event organizer will be so happy and delighted to invite you to the next events . The other reason to thank the planner is that the audience connects and trust you better.
Start your speech by telling the audience how much they will enjoy this presentation. Speaking is an art. be creative about what they would love to hear.
One of the best opening speech samples is complimenting the audience, Remember to be polite and members sincerely mention the challenges in the situation you`ll want to talk about.
Use You can start by quoting a well-known person or publication that recently made an important statement.
Especially the lives and campaigns of the great generals and the decisive battles they won. One of the best opening speech sample in historical examples is Alexander the Great.
You can start by quoting a well-known person or publication that recently made an important statement.
Start by telling a story about a recent conversation with someone in attendance.
You can start your talk by making a shocking statement of some kind.
You can start by quoting a recent research report.
The French philosopher Gustav Le Bon once wrote, “The only religion of mankind is, and always has been hoping.” When you speak effectively, you give people hope of some kind.
Remember, the ultimate purpose of speaking is to inspire people to do things that they would not have done in the absence of your comments.
Do you want to have a speech at the upcoming education conferences ? There are various conferences in the field with interesting themes and topics to join.
You can attend top-ranked business conferences where very interesting opening speeches are being delivered by experts in business, management, and leadership.
Very useful suggestions
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Recent posts.
3 step guide to writing a great master of ceremony opening speech.
Over the last 20 years I’ve had to write an Opening Speech for hundreds of large events where I have been engaged as the MC.
Some have been relatively easy, while others have required many hours of effort and thought.
Rather than reinvent the wheel each time, I now have a 3 Part Formula or Process I always follow. This both saves me time but also ensures that all the elements of a great opening speech are there.
I like to cook when I’m at home and in many ways putting together a great Master of Ceremony opening speech is like cooking a great meal.
Firstly you have to understand what you are trying to make, then the ingredients you are going to use and finally, how you are going to combine them!
We are going to dive in deep into each of those areas but I hope you can see how the metaphor works.
Understanding the outcome you are aiming for, the why, is important because your role as an MC is to help your client achieve their aims for the event. If you are not aware of those aims you could in fact hinder the process with ill considered comments or wrong emphasis. To go back to the planning of your meal, are you making sandwiches and finger food or designing a 5 course sit down banquet?
Secondly, while the ingredients of each opening may sometimes be very similar, often, like a good cook, you can substitute different things. You might change the spice to create a slightly different flavour or double the amount of another ingredient to add more kick or emphasis.
And lastly you can combine those ingredients in different ways. Some elements work better going in early, sometimes just a pinch near the end is all that’s required.
It’s unlikely that you are the organiser of the event itself, though this formula is just as useful if you are and are writing your own opening speech.
In most cases as an MC you will have an organiser, who is then your client. This is the person who has asked you to be the MC. It could be a business owner, CEO, your headmaster, the President of the Association etc. They have specific reasons why this event is taking place and it is your job to ascertain what they are.
In every situation you want to have a briefing session with this person either face to face or over the phone. This Briefing of course will cover your involvement in the whole event, but in this article we will just focus on the Opening.
Pro Tip – Check out the full list of Briefing Questions on page 102 of the Expert MC Toolkit & Resource Manual .
Knowing “why” the event is taking place will get you firmly on the right track to writing a great opening speech!
Is it a Celebration, an Information Night, a Product Launch, Team Building or an Awards Night?
And don’t take a simple answer like “oh, we have it every year” as an answer. Drill in a little deeper. The next question will open it up a bit more.
Building on the “why” question, I usually then ask … “how do you want the audience to Think or Act after the event?” This can be immediately after or when they get back to work etc.
Are they trying to motivate the audience to do something or get them to meet lots of new people. Are they making them more confident about their jobs or are they wanting them to sign up to buy something? Are they gearing up the audience for some hard times ahead?
Is there an actual Theme or Slogan for the Event? We have written about this before but this will give you big clues about what to say and possibly what to wear for the event.
Once you have some of this Big Picture stuff sorted, it’s time to get onto the nitty gritty. Now, sometimes these finer details won’t be known at the time of the briefing, but at least they have been flagged as something you need to know.
You obviously need to have a firm idea about the length of time that you are aiming for in an Master of Ceremonies opening speech.
Pro Tip – It’s always good to try and get a longer time allocation than you need or that you will write for. This allows some immediate flex time. If the event starts a little late, and it inevitably will, those extra couple of minutes you asked for may put you back on track.
Are there any official protocols that must be included?
In some countries and with some cultural groups, a Prayer is included at the start of formal proceedings. The National Anthem might also be sung.
Here in Australia many groups have an Acknowledgement of Country at the start of the event, a short few lines recognising the Traditional Owners of the Land.
I use this term to incorporate other things that also must be mentioned in your opening. The more formal an event the more specific you will be.
VIP Guests, Dignitaries etc will probably be mentioned by name in a specific order.
Depending on the type of event, Sponsors my also get a mention here.
Once you know what your client wants or expects, you can then start crafting the opening.
“Housekeeping” is a widely used term that covers all the small bits and pieces of information that may also need to be conveyed to an audience.
Examples are – Where are the Toilets, what is the Wifi Code, what time does the bus leave, etc. I also include in this group – “Please turn your Phones to Silent.”
Now, depending on the type of event it is, you may not need to go through all the House Keeping in your opening speech. I prefer to do it a bit later as I find it dilutes the impact of the opening a bit. In that situation, just mention the Phones before you introduce the first speaker and come back to the Housekeeping after them.
As an MC you should always keep in mind what happens next. So when you are putting together your opening speech you need to be aware of what happens immediately after you finish so you can make the appropriate link. But more importantly, know the appropriate “energy levels.”
For example you might be launching into a facilitated Teambuilding or Networking session, in which case you will be building the energy and fun. Alternatively, you might be introducing someone speaking on a sombre or serious topic that needs focus and respect.
Now we have the vital information – what we are trying to achieve and what must be included. It’s time for the third part of the formula, putting it all together.
A structure I have found incredibly useful is this …
Closer / Link …
This works just as well if you have only 3 minutes or if you have 15. Let’s look at it in more detail.
Getting peoples attention and interest right from the start is vital.
You need to confident and assured in your dress and demeanour and your words need to match.
It’s not a time for chit chat or repartee. Bang, get straight into it!
I’ve attended a couple of sessions with the Patricia Fripp, the British born, now American based speaker coach. (And sister of legendary guitarist Robert Fripp.)
Her advice for speakers is to start with something bold, a phrase or sentence that grabs attention and interest. I think the advice works just as well for MC’s as it does for speakers.
For several events business events I’ve started with …
“Princeton University, 1955. Professor Albert Einstein is handing out exam papers to his final year students …”
Did that get your attention? Did you want to know what happens next? Of course you do!
That works so much better than “Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen, my names Timothy Hyde and I will be your MC for the event..”
After the quick story, (that relates totally to the WHY they are having the meeting,) you can then move into the welcome and greeting.
Remember also the Voice of God introduction. This will also grab peoples attention and let them know your name! It also enables you to move into something more meaty at the start.
Pro Tip – The full “Einstein Opener” mentioned above is found on page 33 of your copy of The Expert MC Toolkit & Resource Manual . The theme of Rapid Change, Innovation, Creative Solutions is perfect for many business type functions.)
Other great Opening Grabbers include
Once you have got the attention of the audience, you can do an official type welcome and include any Protocol type things you need to cover. VIP’s, Sponsors etc
You now move onto the Big Picture.
This will emphasis the Theme of the Event and Why are you all here.
This sets the context for everything to follow. You may mention a couple of highlights of the program coming up, the Who and the What.
I then like to move from Big Picture to the Personal.
So what I’m saying relates directly to each and every attendee.
Now, what is included here depends once again on what the client wants for the outcome of the event.
Are you motivating and enthusing them?
Are you planting seeds that they will get lots of information?
Do you need to reinforce the benefits of being here?
Are they here to – Network, Set Goals or Relax?
Pro Tip – Plant a seed of Co-operation!
In my Opening speech I always like to plant a seed of co-operation. This is a message that we need to work together to keep the event running on time. That running on time will enable all the Speakers to do their full presentations and if they do, YOU will gain maximum benefit from being here. You are busy people, it’s a packed agenda, we want you to gain a lot from being here and we want to finish on time etc.
I also reinforce this at certain times during the event by thanking them for their help.
Depending on what’s happening next, this is a good moment to either slip in any urgent Housekeeping or close up your opening and introduce the first activity or speaker.
I often would use an appropriate quote or a mention of the Theme again, taking it back to Big Picture.
This 3 Part Process will give you a good basis to start writing stronger Openings.
Part 1 gives you the WHY, the reason for the event and the outcomes you are aiming for.
Part 2 adds the details that must be incorporated.
Part 3 gives you a structure for the opening.
Timothy Hyde
Widely acknowledged as one of Australia's busiest & best MC's and a global authority on the MC Industry, Timothy Hyde shares his expertise and insights into this fascinating Professional Speaking niche via this site and a dynamic YouTube channel. His best selling book The ExpertMC Toolkit and Resource Manual has helped thousands of people worldwide improve their Emcee skills and in many cases, start earning a living by taking on the role.
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With Examples
Writing an opening speech in MUN can be a bit challenging.
Common questions we get from delegates before going to a conference. “What should I say in my opening speech?” “Should I read out my Positions Paper?” “How do I take all the research I did and fit it into a short opening speech?”
Before you start working on your MUN opening speech, you should know the topic, done some research, and preferably already have written a position paper .
A MUN opening speech should cover the following:
What not to do:
Do not repeat the problem . Everyone knows what it is. Repeating the problem is a great way to waste precious speech time. Your first sentence should be what you want to do. That is what the other delegates are more interested in.
Your first sentence should be a clear clash. To impact the committee it is not enough to bring vague ideas. There needs to be engagement between delegates and your ideas need to be discussed by others.
You know your idea is important when countries that oppose your idea fight against it while countries who are on your side support it. Other delegates’ ideas clashing with yours is what gives them both life and makes them interesting and relevant.
For this reason, a good MUN opening speech needs to have:
Information
Clash is your solution in one specific sentence. The Clash is framed as a two-sided solution which the other side can object to. Information is properly used facts. Call to Action is the policy you want to see implemented. The guide below will explain how the CIA formula works and how to use it to create your influential, informative, and rhetorically sound opening speech. Let’s get to it!
CIA is the foundation for any MUN opening speech. A strong CIA speech, will convey a clear and consistent message to your fellow delegates that you know what you are talking about and have a plan. Clear communication is the key to successful MUNing in your committee. Missing your C lash, I nformation or A ction can result in confusion about where you stand on the matter and your outlook on how to solve the issue at hand.
Just Remember CIA:
I nformation
C la sh – What you want to do in one specific sentence. .
I nformation – Relevant facts. numbers, that support your speech. Information can also be facts about your country that justify your position.
Call to A ction – How you will carry out the one line “what” you states in the Clash.
Before we explain how each part of CIA works, it is vital to understand clashing with at least a few other delegates is an important litmus test for how relevant your talking points are.
A Model United Nations opening speech should present a problem, as you perceive said problem, and give one or more practical policy proposals on how you propose to solve it. However, if everyone agrees with you, no one will talk about your ideas.
When no one talks about your ideas, they will fade from the discussion. This is why your framing of the problem needs to clash with the world view of other delegates. The debate between you and those who oppose your ideas will keep both ideas alive. Hours later, if you find a compromise with the other side, you will get credit for making the biggest difference. If you cannot find a compromise, you get credit for sticking to your principles. In both cases, if your clash is central to what takes place in the committee, you will get the credit for shaping the discussion and bringing the ideas that led the direction the committee took.
This is why it is not enough to say what is correct, or even important. It needs to arouse some kind of response to remain relevant and important. Ideally, the way you frame the debate will be so relevant and well presented that the committee clashes along the lines you set and the rich and relevant discussion takes up a central place in the committee, or at least is relevant to enough delegates to keep it going as a secondary discussion. For this reason, the first part of your MUN opening speech is called a Clash.
What you want to do.
Clash definition: A confrontation of solutions.
We cannot censor people who incite violence in a country with freedom of speech. Vs We must censor people to ensure physical safety from those who successfully incite violence.
You cannot censor and not censor at the same time and there you have a strong clash.
For something to be a clash, delegates from your committee need to be on either side of it. If there are no two sides, the committee won’t debate it. Instead, your ideas will either unanimously go straight to the unimportant clause section of the resolution or fall entirely out of discussion. Either way, it will not be central to determining the direction the committee goes.
Examples of Clash:
Revoking asylum status for anyone who does not agree to get vaccinated at the border.
Advocating for megacities to have their own independent legal system.
The United Nations should fund water filtration in countries that suffer volcanic eruptions.
In all of these examples, there is a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. The answer to these questions will be the main one to divide the committee room.
An idea that everyone agrees on is Off Clash . Off Clash statements (Like the Ebola virus is bad or tornados are dangerous) are a waste of precious speech time that could be further used to develop your Clash or Call to Action. (More on Clash and Off Clash in the expanded explanation below)
Which clash should you choose?
Some topics have many possible clashes. In those cases, you should choose the one you feel will be most relevant to the discussion.
Committee : World Health Organization
Topic: Combating the Zika Virus
Clash 1: Increase the number of doctors sent to Peru to treat Zika.
Clash 2: Remove patent restrictions to let countries locally develop medicines to counter Zika.
Clash 3: Suggest countries around the world teach children about the world’s top deadliest diseases.
The general concept of combating Zika is an Off Clash topic. No one will say the Zika virus is a good thing. To find the Clash you need to go one level deeper and decide what type of discussion will best serve our country’s interests.
It is clear that Clash 3 will save the least leaves and bring the least immediate benefit. It will also likely get little or no discussion time.
When choosing between Clash 1 and Clash 2, Paraguay would open for Clash 2, as creating generic medicines would be cheaper not only for fighting Zika but could also make medical treatment cheaper across the board. This idea would also be of interest to Angola, who faces similar constraints on creating generic medicines, even though they do not have the Zika virus. As a rule of thumb, it is better to choose a clash that is not only relevant to your country but many others can also agree with it.
Information = Hard facts that support your case
A strong MUN speech needs to have relevant facts and numbers that support parts of your speech.
Without information, your fellow delegates can only rely on your word, which might not give enough credibility to what you have to say. Numbers, names, dates and hard facts show what we are saying exists in the real world and is not an opinion. Numbers are the best form of information to use and the hardest to argue with.
No “Information”
The coral reefs are very important. Huge numbers of people who live near a reef. Corals also protect the shoreline of many countries. Also, many countries, like the US, and make a lot of money from tourism.
With “Information”
The coral reefs are very important. 962 million people (Roughly an eighth of the world’s population) lives within 60 miles of a reef. Additionally, corals protect 100,000 miles of shoreline in over 100 countries from being batters by the ocean’s force. The coral reefs also generating billions of dollars in tourism revenue. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service estimates the annual commercial value of U.S. fisheries from coral reefs to be over $100 million.
Which sounds smarter?
Information does not exist in a vacuum. There is no such thing as facts for facts sake.
Information in a CIA speech should always do one of the following:
Information in follow up speeches usually moves between these four. In earlier speeches the “I” focuses more on your own world-building and less on countering other countries. However, MUN simulation has a lot going on and the Information should be used, as deemed appropriate, on a case by case basis.
Call to Action (CtA) is a statement designed to give instructions for an immediate response.
In MUN, your CtA is the practical policy to solve the issue you set up in your clash.
Without a clear CtA other delegates will not know what to do with the Clash and Information you presented. Worse, they can use what you set up in your speech to justify other CtA’s.
A Call to Action needs to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound (SMART).
Your CtA needs to be specific as to:
Clash: Let’s send teachers to the refugee camps in Ethiopia.
CtA : Hiring 300 teachers who specialize in teaching English and Math, to United Nations run high schools at the 3 refugee camps in the Tigray region in Ethiopia.
We can’t send “teachers” as we don’t know what types how many, where to send them or what they are going to do. However, when we look at the CtA, we can guestimate the cost of 300 teachers who specialize in English and Math and now know where to send them.
A good Call to Action explains the problem, the solution and what it’s going to do.
Specific actionable policy ideas will allow you to direct the discussion, and later take credit for the ideas when everyone else has the same general stance (ex. “humanitarian aid”).
The opening speeches at most MUN conferences are 60 seconds.
However, you should ask your conference team if you are unsure about the opening speech times since this could differ. Take into considerations, a delegate could motion to change the opening speeckers time during the course of the conference or a chair could change the time due to other unforeseen reasons …. So even if the opening speech is as short as 30 seconds, or as long as two minutes, the structure remains the same.
Call to Action
Clash breaks into two parts, clashline and explanation.
How to start an MUN opening speech
A good MUN opening speech goes straight to the point. The longer you take the more of a risk you run that they’ll find someone else to focus on like passing a note, writing an opening speech of their own, chatting to the delegate next to them, etc. Your strong opener is your Clashline.
Clashline – Your first few lines. It tells the listener what clash you want to focus on. Shouldn’t be more than 10 seconds.
Examples of Clashlines:
Syrian refugees who spent over three years in refugee camps should get work visas Countries should be responsible for their own epidemics The UN should send food aid to the people of North Korea
Clash explanation – Your next few seconds should explain why what you are speaking about is important by showing why your clash is the correct one.
Examples of Explanation: Clashline: “The UN should send unconditional food aid to the people of North Korea.” Explanation: “The leadership is stable and not looking to change any time soon. Life will continue the same for the elites as the people are starving. This is why the food should be sent now.”
This is a good example of getting straight to the point. Within four sentences we have a clear idea that human rights come second to the leadership of the DPRK. This clarity of Clashline and Explanation can be used in any MUN committee from the General Assembly, ECOSOC, DISEC, SOCHUM and WHO to the Security Council and even a crisis committee.
Information Facts in your speech always have a purpose. That purpose is almost always one of the following: – Show why your Clash is the most relevant – Show why your Call to Action will make the biggest difference – Explain why your country has the position it does – Disprove information brought by another delegate
Use of information to strengthen a speech
Clash: The UN should send unconditional food aid to the people of North Korea. Kim Jong Un is 35 years old. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon. At the same time, 10.5 million people, which is 41% of the total population, are undernourished. Life will continue the same for the elites as the people are starving.
You should describe your policy / solution halfway through your speech at the latest. This is because you need time to elaborate on your solution. No idea is clear in one sentence. You will need time to explain why it is important and why it is going to work.
Use of Call to Action
The United Nations should send 240 million tons of food aid to the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea. This food should be sent over two years. 30 million should be sent every three months as long as Kim Jong Un abides by the following.
This text can be turned into clauses for a draft resolution. The main idea is clear.
Closing your Opening Speech
After your Call to Action, a summary sentence can be a nice way to close your speech.
However, this should not come at the expense of your content or important details of your Call to Action. Style should never trump substance.
What if you have extra time in my opening speech?
If you find yourself with extra time in your opening speech, and you used the CIA format in your speech.
Do the following:
It should be rare to have extra time in your opening speech if you planned wisely, when you happen to find yourself with extra time use it strategically.
How it impacts your opening speech.
There are three types of MUN topics, Open, Semi-Open and Closed.
Types of MUN Topics:
Open Open topics are very broad and should be significantly narrowed to create the clash in an opening speech.
Example – Combatting the Slave Trade
This topic is very broad and could be about anything that has to do with slavery in the world today. What does slave trade mean? It could be child slavery, forced labor or the sex trade. It could be placed in the developed world or developing world. It could be about countries of origin, transit countries or destinations. To be debatable the opening speech needs to move from the topic to something specific to set the Clash.
Semi-Open Semi-Open topics are similar to open topics and should be narrowed and focused. They have more direction than open topics but you are still required to choose from a few directions to set the clash.
Example – The right to the internet of children in developing countries
There is an understanding of what types of countries and populations that we’re focusing on but there is still work needed to set a Clash. What ages are the children? Who is providing the internet, government, the UN or an NGO? What about the devices to use the internet?
Closed topics have a clear main clash. Most, or all, of the countries in the committee will fall onto one side or the other. For closed topics, countries without a clear point of view still need to pick a side before they can begin discussing the issue.
Example – Sending aid to the people of North Korea.
While you still need to decide what types of aid, how much and what conditions, the question of “should we send aid” is a yes or no question that each country should have an opinion on and which strongly influences their starting point in the discussion.
You can learn more about the three types of MUN topics here.
Below are MUN opening speech samples for an open and closed topic.
The following MUN speech examples show both good and bad opening speeches. After the speech, there will be a breakdown according to CIA and an analysis of the speech evaluating what worked, what didn’t and why.
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Committee: World Food Program
Topic: Eradicating Global Hunger
Country: Norway
Honorable chair distinguished delegates,
The first step to stopping starvation is improving access to clean water, critical for food growth. Half of the 800 million people without access to clean water live in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Kingdom of Norway believes that the WFP’s efforts should focus on community-oriented aid to promote self-sufficient living. Norway thinks self-operated water harvesting devices are a good way to do this. The University of Akron in Ohio developed a water harvester that produces 10 gallons of drinking water per hour from thin air. The UN should purchase, and distribute, water harvesters to the countries most in need such as Niger, Burundi and Mozambique. For the UN to ensure long term success, the WFP should transfer harvesters and not funds to the countries in need.
The Breakdown
The first step to stopping starvation is improving access to clean water , critical for food growth. Half of the 800 million people without access to clean water live in Sub-Saharan Africa . The Kingdom of Norway believes that the WFP’s efforts should focus on community-oriented aid to promote self-sufficient living. Norway thinks self-operated water harvesting devices are a good way to do this. The University of Akron in Ohio developed a water harvester that produces 10 gallons of drinking water per hour from thin air . The UN should purchase, and distribute, water harvesters to the countries most in need such as Niger, Burundi and Mozambique . For the UN to ensure long term success, the WFP should transfer harvesters and not funds to the countries in need.
Clash – Improving access to clean water is how we tackle global hunger.
When asked in a question, “Does stopping starvation means providing access to clean water as the first priority?” Some countries will agree and some will not.
Information – 400 million people don’t have access to water in sub-Saharan Africa. (Numbers) Water harvester in the University of Akron produced 10 gallons of water per hour. (Numbers and names) Niger, Burundi and Mozambique are countries that could use this. (Names)
Call to Action – The UN should replace cash with water harvesters and give them directly to the people in need.
This Call to Action has two parts. In a follow-up speech, Norway can say that they give $975 million in aid to sub-Saharan countries. This can support why they want to make sure their investment is spent correctly. Also, even if the committee doesn’t go for water harvesters, or even water, the idea of not sending cash to the countries in need can still be central to the discussion.
Speech Analysis
Norway is hedging her bets and, while going in strong, leaves room to maneuver. The subtext of her case is countries should use whatever they are given responsibly and handing cash to governments is not an effective means. As long as whatever policy is chosen is done more responsibly (by what Norway considers responsible) she can still have a strong impact on the committee even if none of her policies go through.
Committee: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Topic: Changing visa policy to combat illegal migration
Country: United Kingdom
Honorable chair distinguished delegates,
The United Kingdom is strongly against making visa access easier. While the death of the 39 Chinese found inside a refrigerated lorry from Bulgaria on October 23rd, 2019 is regrettable, our only option is informing potential migrants of the danger to themselves.
Illegal migration into Britain is around 650,000—give or take a couple hundred thousand. Many of these enter countries on tourist visas and then stay. Changing the laws will only give smugglers more opportunities.
Britain proposes the UN create translated online platforms to apply for legal visas, while also showing the dangers of illegal migration. The UN should invest in the proliferation, so this information reaches the right people. The smugglers who get past our x-ray machines, canine units, heartbeat monitors and carbon-dioxide sniffers are extremely resourceful. If we loosen visa laws, they will adapt and continue to take money from the poor but now with the white hats, we handed to them.
Honorable chair distinguished delegates, The United Kingdom is strongly against making visa access easier . While the death of the 39 Chinese found inside a refrigerated lorry from Bulgaria on October 23rd, 2019 is regrettable, our only option is informing potential migrants of the danger to themselves . Illegal migration into Britain is around 650,000 —give or take a couple hundred thousand. Many of these enter countries on tourist visas and then stay . Changing the laws will only give smugglers more opportunities.
Britain proposes the UN create translated online platforms to apply for legal visas, while also showing the dangers of illegal migration . The UN should invest in the proliferation , so this information reaches the right people. The smugglers who get past our x-ray machines, canine units, heartbeat monitors and carbon-dioxide sniffers are extremely resourceful. If we loosen visa laws, they will adapt and continue to taking money from the poor but now with the white hats, we handed to them.
Clash – Do not change the visa laws. Like at all.
Information – 39 victims inside a lorry from Bulgaria (numbers and names), Illegal migration into Britain + – 650,000 (number), x-ray machines, canine units, heartbeat monitors and carbon-dioxide sniffers (specific names of detection methods.)
Call to Action – UN online platform in local languages explaining the visa process and warning of dangers. UN should create a mechanism to make sure the platform reaches relevant people. (How to reach people needs elaboration in later speeches)
This speech starts with the UK clearly stating that they are against changing visa status, which shows which side of the main clash he is on. He brings information which he knows those who want to change visa status to save lives will bring up and says, despite that, he is against.
The UK brings many new stakeholders into the discussion such as the resourceful smugglers and how most illegal migrants come with tourist visas and stay.
As draft resolutions are practical policies, it isn’t enough to be against changing visas. The UK also needs to propose something proactive. The online resource is a good policy proposal in that it gives the IOM sometimes to advocate for which does not require a change in visa law. All countries that don’t want to change their immigration policy can get behind this idea that does not really change anything. It’s a position that many countries could back and might even get a majority. By putting the focus on resourceful smugglers, the UK is moving away from the danger to human life by saying the real enemy is the smugglers, who will be empowered by changing visa law.
Example bad opening speech - #1.
Committee : ECOSOC
Country : Egypt
TOPIC : Rebuilding the Middle East
We, the Arab Republic of Egypt believe that we should help rebuild the Middle East and specifically Syria .
While the 580,000 casualties of the civil war in Syria are extremely regrettable, the real victims are the people trying to stay alive in the conflict zone that is modern Syria. More than 6.2 million people are displaced . 13.1 million are still in need of humanitarian assistance . The estimated unemployment rate stands at 54 percent . Also, 83.5 percent of the 19,454,263 Syrians live below the poverty line . Cities have been engulfed in crime, police stations closed down and the overall police personal dropped from 100,000 officers to 20,000 . Rates of theft increased, with criminals looting houses and stores. To fix this problem we need to rebuild the Middle East by rebuilding Syria!
Clash – Rebuilding the Middle East = Rebuilding Syria
Information – A lot of facts about how difficult life is in Syria.
Call to Action – There is none.
This speech starts with the clash going half way. It focuses the rebuilding efforts on Syria. This excludes Iraq, and other candidate states, but is also a fairly predictable option which could be expected from a majority of delegates (at least if the committee takes place late 2019).
After the place setting in Syria, the speech brings many facts. This shows research but a clear lack of focus. The facts shows life in Syria is difficult, but the knowledge that life is difficult for Syrians is something everyone in the committee probably knows. The information is scattered between those who need aid, those who are unemployed and the information about dropping police forces. There is no Call to Action to make use of the data so the listener is left with the conclusion that life in Syria is hard, which they knew before the committee began.
Furthermore, the information in this speech can be used to support almost any Call to Action, from sending emergency humanitarian aid workers throughout the country to giving 100% support to Bashar Assad to reassert full control. This is the danger in giving a speech with a sort of Clash, Information and no Call to Action. Anyone can use your facts to support their own agenda.
Country : Ireland
The Republic of Ireland declares that we need to rebuild the Middle East ! Ireland believes that we should take action against the war and apply sanctions against the rebel terrorists in Syria and even resort to military action if necessary to stop the war. Syria is in such a poor condition because of the west’s irresponsible behavior regarding the war. The millions who died and fled are directly our fault. This is the same level of neglect seen after the Vietnam war in 1975 , when we left over 2 million as the casualty count and fled to lick our wounds and rebuild ourselves. Once the war is over, we should send financial aid to rebuild Syria again and prevent any future wars from happening.
Clash – Unclear. 1) Rebuild the Middle East (off clash), 2) Apply Sanctions against rebel terrorists in Syria, 3) Resort to military action.
Information – Vietnam war ended in 1975. Casualty count of over 2 million.
Call to Action – Send financial aid.
This speech is a mess of mixed messages. The Clashline is Off Clash, as there likely isn’t a country who would say they do not support the idea of rebuilding the Middle East (whatever that means). We then hear “we should apply sanctions against the terrorists in Syria” with no further explanation of how this will work or who they are. We then hear “resort to military action to stop the war” with no explanation about who we are taking action against. It could be the undefined terrorists mentioned before. It could be the Syrian army. It could be someone else.
The information in this speech is about the Vietnam war. The example is extremely dated, and the numbers undefined and possibly incorrect. However, the larger issue with the information is that it doesn’t serve a purpose. The west abandoning the Middle East is never even hinted at in the beginning of the clash. It also has nothing to do with the one liner Call to Action that comes later.
The Call to Action, if we can even call it that, has nothing to do with any previous part of the speech. If anything, sending aid is the opposite of sanctions and war, both of which have nothing to do with the American withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975.
Overall, this is a confusing speech where each part sends a different message from the other parts. This speech is very open to highjacking by another delegate who will say that this speech supports their ideas. Another option is this speech is ignored. What is clear is the direction the committee takes will likely not be set by this speech.
Committee : ECOFIN
Country : Peru
Topic : Responsible Usage of Arctic Resources
Peru believes that every Arctic country has the sovereignty to use their resources .
However, because of the climate changes, we should create a special committee that will discuss this subject and find ways to decrease the ecological damage. The Arctic region contains major reserves of uranium, copper, tungsten, gold, diamonds and most importantly gas and oil . In addition, it’s one of the largest freshwater reservoirs in the world. Climate changes and release of contaminants in the Arctic have potential to affect European and global weather patterns. The Arctic is particularly sensitive to the effects of global warming, and icebergs are melting at a rapid rate. Scientists fear that it will cause a significant rise in sea levels around the world, and that in the 20th of the 21 century there will be no ice zone at all during the summer.
Clash – Countries can use resources within their territory.
Information – Names of resources in the arctic and some more scattered data.
Call to Action – Create a special committee.
This speech starts with a pretty clear Clash, that countries who have access to the arctic can use their resources as they please. The next line contradicts the first and presents either an alternative Clash or a Call to Action in the form of creating a “special committee” to find ways to decrease egonolical damage (first time this is mentioned). The rest of the speech is an array of information that doesn’t really point at anything. Some of it counts as Information in the form of new facts but most of what is said doesn’t really serve a purpose. At the end of the speech we are left wondering what was the point. From the third sentence the speech rambles on with no connection to the Clash or Call to Action which end up forgotten by the end of the speech..
Country : Cuba
The Arctic states are completed and integrated by customary international sea law and several treaties. The Arctic includes areas of the national sovereignty. Cuba fully respects these sovereign rights and will be ready to play their role to confront global challenges with its scientific and technological expertise and leading companies to contribute to a sustainable Arctic development while respecting the ecosystem and indigenous people.
In this frame, Cuba expects the extending bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the Arctic, in the framework of international law to create a committee to cooperate in the following subjects : wider access of geo- strategic interest , scientific cooperation on climate change and environmental protection , economic expertise in the use of mineral resources , cooperation on human lives in extreme climate conditions .
Clash – None.
Information – None.
Call to Action – Create a committee to do basically everything.
This speech opening with what is clearly not a clashline. Cuba then says they “fully respect sovereign rights” and continue with a run on sentence (specifically how they will “ play their role to confront global challenges” using “scientific and technological expertise and leading companies” to “contribute to a sustainable Arctic development” while “respecting the ecosystem and indigenous people.”)
This delegate’s opening speech, unknowingly, tries to cover everything. The same can be seen in their call to action where the committee is created to do 5 separate things, which could each be an entire Call to Action in its own right.
This speech is hard to follow and tries to commit to so many different things. As a result, almost any other delegate can say that Cuba supports them. There are buzzwords like terms that have no clear link between them such as “sustainable Arctic development”, “ecosystem”, “indigenous people” and more. Overall, it is a difficult speech to follow where the listener is left without a clear idea of what the delegate wants, unless if what they want is absolutely everything.
Country : Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic says we have to take care of the arctic . It is important because there are many resources there which the world will be sad to lose. It also has endangered species.
We have not been careful with the arctic. Countries could also go to war over it. We need to be responsible. This means setting up mechanisms to protect the environment. We should also create treaties to protect nature and the natural resources there.
We owe it to our children and their children to take care of the arctic . We will have failed them if they ask us “why were you not responsible”. We need to be able to have an answer. As ECOFIN, we need to make sure the United Nations ensures that its member states use the arctic responsibly or do not use it at all. If we want an arctic when we are older we need to protect it today!
Clash – The clash in this speech is off clash.
Information – There are zero facts in this speech.
Call to Action – “take care of the arctic” which could mean anything.
This speech could have been written by someone who only read the name of the topic. Everything in it is general. No fact is present and no original idea is presented.
The only merit of this speech is that it can be read dramatically but even then there is nothing to remember except for lines like “we owe it to our children and their children to take care of the arctic.” At best, this speech shows eloquence and a knack for drama. What it does not do is set or drive debate in any way. Coming away from this you can assume no research was done and there is possibly a lack of understanding of how a MUN works.
At this point, you should be able to understand the different parts of a MUN opening speech and how they work together. Inspired by the examples and opening speech analysis, the patterns and characteristics of a good MUN opening speech should be clear. The final part of the opening speech process is the modifications you will sometimes need to do to adapt your speech to the previous speeches that came before yours.
MUN RULE: Always ready to adapt in real-time. This rule applies to your opening speech.
Just because it’s your first speech , doesn’t mean it’s the first speech in the committee room.
Ideas will come up from the very first opening speech in the committee. Once a delegate utters the words,“Honorable chair distinguished delegate” you should be ready to make a few modifications to your opening speech. Adapting to the room and the ideas is key to success in MUN.
Factor in the speaking order
Opening speeches are usually heard alphabetically. Other options are reverse alphabetical , in order of seating or completely at random .
Write your speech to build on top of others
Take note of the first letter of your country, write your speech with your place in the speaking order in mind. Countries with the letters A through C often give the first speeches, since not every committee has interviews countries with every letter in the alphabet. : )
(Remember although most conferences have opening speeches in alphabetical order, this is not a guarantee)
The countries who start their opening speech have first crack at defining the terms, setting the Clash and introducing the first Calls to Action.
More delegates on your Clash = Better
If you are not the first delegate making an opening speech, it is very possible you will join an existing Clash. Joining other delegates with the same idea is not a bad thing. The more delegates who subscribe to your world view the better chance you have to get a majority.
Hearing your Clash by another delegate in previous speeches is a very good thing. This lays the foundation to start building your coalition already during the opening speech stage through a tactic called echoing .
If you are not the first delegate making an opening speech, think what is likely to have been said and add to it. It is very possible you will join an existing Clash. This is not a bad thing. The more delegates there are who subscribe to your world view the better chance you have to get a majority.
As long as it isn’t Off Clash, hearing your Clash in some of the previous speeches is a very good thing. This means you can start building your coalition already during the opening speech stage through a tactic called echoing.
Echo others
Echoing is mentioning another country by name in your speech. You can echo that you agree with them or disagree. You can directly quote or paraphrase. Echoing is not limited to opening speeches but it is a very potent strategy to use when you aren’t the first speaker.
How to Echo:
Echoing in an opening speech is usually best done right before your clash. You can also echo a country in the middle of your speech but it has a larger chance of getting missed.
Echoing in an opening speech can look something like this:
“Portugal agrees with Denmake, France and Haiti and disagreed with Russia and Pakistan.”
When you mention another country by name their ears perk up and they listen. You want allies and the opposing bloc to listen. You definitely want the countries you mention by name to listen.
Echoing in an opening speech needs to have a purpose. The purpose is usually to start putting your coalition together. Mentioning someone else in your speech grants you street credit with them. On a secondary level echoing helps set the Clash. Other countries will see that a number of delegates see your Clash as the issue to discuss and can choose to come on board, or at least acknowledge the Clash as something to be addressed.
If you are not one of the first speakers echoing it is also a way to show other delegates that you’re listening. If you mention countries who spoke at the beginning when you’re one of the later delages to speak, it sounds like your stopped listening at the beginning. It’s better to echo a country from the beginning, middle and a few speakers before you. This way the delegates in the room know your are attentive.
Echoing other delegates as a way to communicate with them from within your opening speech. Those extra words can help you start building coalitions, and agreeing on what reality the committee is taking place in, before the opening speeches end.
Finally, remember that echoing is part of your word count . If you’re going to echo, factor that into your speech time. A strategy some delegates use is writing their opening speech with 10 words less than fits a minute to leave room for echoing.
Saying CtA Best > Saying CtA First
Some MUN topics have a limited number of policies that can be implemented. If you’re a further down the opening speech list it is very likely someone said your policy, or something like it. This too is a good thing. When the topic has only three or four viable policies, it should be expected that some ideas will repeat themselves.
If you’re dealing with an earthquake there are only so many ways to rescue people from under the rubble.
If you’re dealing with a virus, there are only so many ways to vaccinate and research an antidote.
This is why would should not worry about saying the Call to Action first. On some topics, if you’re the only one to say it, you likely have a much larger problem
This is where going into detail and SMART policy come into play. You can echo the other countries who mentioned your policy idea in one line and develop it. If they gave one line at the end of their speech but you take 25 seconds to explain, the credit will go to you.
Remember that your opening speech is not the end, it’s a beginning. The delegate who best develops the idea, and pushes it the furthest over time, is the one who gets the credit. Also, you don’t need to do it alone. Having one or two strong allies will make a big difference when it comes to getting your Call to Action a central place of the draft resolution. MUN is a team activity and there is no promise of an easy ride to a majority. That is also part of the fun and the magic that is MUN. Be open to working with others and see the other delegates who try to set your Clash or introduce your Call to Action as an opportunity. CIA alone is more work for you. Others joining and supporting your CIA is the essence of cooperation and leveling up in Model United Nations.
There you have it. The secret to writing a great MUN opening speech. Remember, a speech alone is not though. You need to combine it with proper country representation , good coalition work, and resolution writing . However, if you give a bad opening speech you will need to work extra hard to catch up afterward. This can potentially be especially hard in an expert room.
You will also have to give other speeches after the first one. There are all types of follow up speeches that are needed to keep your CIA going. Once the ideas are out, their repetition is key to keeping your ideas on the table and yourself relevant. However, now that you gave a great opening speech, you have a much better chance to influence the direction the committee takes.
You should also use the tools of CIA speech writing to critically listen to others. Listen to hear what they are missing, whether it’s a Clash, a Call to Action or data to back it up. Write notes on their speeches and factor that into your general strategy.
The tools you gained here are relevant for high school MUN, college or university MUN as well as for other platforms that involve public speech. More importantly, these tools can also be used outside of MUN. After all, being relevant, interesting and driving conversation are even more important outside of a Model UN committee simulation. Make these tools second nature and they should serve you well for a long time.
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COMMENTS
Analyze their response and tweak the joke accordingly if necessary. Starting your speech with humour means your setting the tone of your speech. It would make sense to have a few more jokes sprinkled around the rest of the speech as well as the audience might be expecting the same from you. 4. Mohammed Qahtani.
4. Make them laugh. Injecting a little humor into your opening line puts everyone at ease and makes your speech more memorable. Just make sure your joke is relevant and doesn't offend your audience. Example: "They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but if the doctor is cute, forget the fruit!". 5.
Here is our list of the best conference opening remarks examples. Conference opening remarks examples are statements that introduce your meeting to attendees. Examples include serious opening conference remarks, funny opening conference remarks, and inspirational opening conference remarks. ... As I was preparing my speech for today, my partner ...
2. Open the Speech by Giving Compliment & Show Gratitude towards your Audience. Secondly, just after wishing greeting to your audience give them compliment and choose some words which show that you are delighted to see them there. Example: It's great to see you all, Thank you for coming here today.
Get to know who will be coming and if there are any special guests you need to know about. 3. Write the Final Output for the Welcome Speech. After making the draft, and you know that it is enough, you may proceed to making your final output. Make sure that the necessary names that you need to welcome are also there.
A conference opening speech is more than just a formality. It's the pulse-setter, a tone-defining moment that can inspire or deflate. Crafting it requires insight, clarity, and precision. The first words uttered at any conference bear the weight of anticipation. They serve as a mirror, reflecting the event's ethos, aims, and expectations.
There are six common or standard content items in a good welcome speech. These are: Greetings to welcome everyone and thanking them for coming along. Acknowledgement of special guests, if there are any. An introduction of the event itself and a brief overview of special highlights the audience will want to know about.
Example of Opening Remarks involving Outfit. While representing Bhutan's steps towards sustainability, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay decided to wear a traditional outfit to represent his country in its truest essence. Watch this TED Talk to know how he connects his outfit with the overall theme of the talk. Opening Remark:
Examples of Speeches that Used Quotes as Opening Remarks 1. Increase your Self-Awareness with one Simple Fix By Tasha Eurich. Tennessee Williams once told us, "There comes a time when you look into the mirror and you realize that what you see is what you'll ever be. And then you accept it. Or you kill yourself. Or you stop looking in ...
1) Thank the Organizers and Audience. You can start by thanking the audience for coming and thanking the organization for inviting you to speak. Refer to the person who introduced you or to one or more of the senior people in the organization in the audience. This compliments them, makes them feel proud and happy about your presence, and ...
Opening Line: "All right. I'm going to show you a couple of images from a very diverting paper in The Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine.". #6: Julian Treasure - "How to Speak so that People Want to Listen". Opening Line: "The human voice: It's the instrument we all play.". #7: Jill Bolte Taylor - "My Stroke of Insight".
Typical Patterns for Speech Openings. Get the audience's attention-called a hook or a grabber. Establish rapport and tell the audience why you care about the topic of why you are credible to speak on the topic. Introduce the speech thesis/preview/good idea. Tell the audience why they should care about this topic.
Welcome speech examples 1. Welcome and Opening Remarks - 2015 COAST/SSEW Symposium. In the above example of opening remarks for a scientific symposium, the speaker starts by welcoming everyone with a smile and lots of eye contact. It seems the attendees are in the same field of research and among familiar faces.
Start with a polite welcome and state your name. Follow with your job title and/or the reason you're qualified to speak on the topic being discussed. 2. State the Purpose of Your Presentation. Now that your audience knows who you are and your qualifications, you can state the purpose of your presentation.
After that point, you'll be able to change those opinions about as easily as you can change a hamster into a ham sandwich. So here's how to be strong in the first 60 seconds of your speech. (2) Your opening sets the entire tone of your presentation (including whether you'll be interesting or not). (3) This is when you introduce your message and ...
In your notes or outline, you'll want to include the following steps: Welcome the audience - use a clear and strong voice to welcome all attendees and grab their attention. an example of an informal greeting: "Hello and welcome, everyone!". an example of a formal greeting: "Good evening to all attendees.
Suggest that the audience complete a mathematical equation and promise to give the answer context during the speech. 21. The Activity Open - Of all the 25 ways to open, this one triggers the most immediate engagement. Use it during training sessions and workshops when you are trying to teach a specific skill.
10 Lines Welcome Speech for Seminar. Good morning everyone, welcome to our seminar today! We are honoured to have such a distinguished group of teachers and students joining us. Today's event promises an engaging and enlightening experience for all of us. Let's open our minds and hearts to new ideas as we come together to learn new facts and ...
5 elements of the perfect webinar welcome speech. Before writing a welcome address for a webinar, you'll need to divide your intro into a few important sections. We've broken down the steps below to help guide you through the process. 1. Start with a greeting and thank attendees for their time. When greeting your webinar attendees, remember ...
Opening and closing remarks for meetings are statements that introduce and wrap up workplace get-togethers. The purpose of these remarks is to set the tone of the subject matter and summarize topics covered during the meeting. Examples of opening and closing remarks for meetings include quick welcomes to attendees, announcements explaining the ...
Doing this will give you an idea of how to catch the attention of your listeners. 2. Acknowledge The Guests. Of course, one of the purposes of giving an opening speech at every event is to welcome the guests. Convey how thankful the organizers are for their acceptance of the event invitation. Also, do not forget to thank them for sparing time ...
In this post, we have listed tips and opening speech samples. Those are useful for conferences and seminars and webinars. Opening speech sample: Useful guide 1) Mention the event organizer. All the experts in opening Speech examples recommend that start the presentation with an appreciation to the event organizer. You can tell that you are ...
3 Step Guide to Writing a Great Master of Ceremony Opening Speech. Over the last 20 years I've had to write an Opening Speech for hundreds of large events where I have been engaged as the MC. Some have been relatively easy, while others have required many hours of effort and thought. Rather than reinvent the wheel each time, I now have a 3 ...
Here's a great example of an opening ceremony created for TNW Conference 2016: What the TNW organisers did is weave the concept of "driving a change through technology" into the real context. The girl who's giving the speech at the beginning is the future, and the future depends on our actions and determines how this girl will look and ...
A MUN opening speech should cover the following: Problem. The specific problem you want to solve - 1 line. Clash. Solution - What you want to do about the issue - 1 line. Information. Back up your views on the issue and solutions with facts from research. - 2 lines. Action.