On the vibrant evening of February 23rd, the E4 Area, comprised of Credit Suisse, Zuriberg, Walk the Talk, and St. Gallen Clubs, witnessed an exhilarating contest that left a mark of pride and accomplishment for our club. Christina emerged as the shining star, securing victories in not just one, but two categories – Evaluation and Table Topics Speech Contests!
A hearty congratulations to Christina, who will now carry the torch to the next level: the Division E contest on March 23rd.
In the International Speech contest, both myself and Elias claimed honors, securing the 2nd and 3rd places, respectively. Our speeches, though familiar to our club, were refined and elevated through feedback, a testament to the transformative power of continuous improvement.
“There are two kinds of people” and as per Thomas, the good ones, and the bad ones! He masterfully conveyed the message of personal transformation, how one transit from being the “bad guy” to becoming the “good guy”, emphasizing the power of personal choices.
In a different stage today, the online combined E1-E2-E3 & E4 German speech competition, Roland competed with a beautiful personal story in excellent high German! In his Interview, he motivated us all to make mistakes, it is the best way to learn! He proudly brings another first place award for our club!
Beyond the contestants, our club demonstrated unwavering support, with Anna as the Timer and Hugo as the Hybrid Zoom Master of Technology, ensuring the seamless execution of a high-quality hybrid contest. Toastmasters thrive on the altruistic engagement of members, and Anna and Hugo’s dedication is truly commendable.
While judges remain anonymous, a special thanks to our club members who performed their duties behind the scenes, contributing to the success of the contest incognito.
Let’s raise our glasses in a collective toast to all participants, contest officials, and, of course, Christina and Roland, who brilliantly illuminated our club in the Area E4 Toastmasters Contest. Here’s to the spirit of growth, camaraderie, and continued success!
It’s hard to believe that our 21st meeting of the Toastmasters year has already concluded, and what an inspiring evening it was!
Svetlana led the way as our Toastmaster, guiding the session with finesse! She seamlessly introduced our speakers, each one offering their unique take on the theme of “strategy.” A special thanks to Denisse, our General Evaluator, and to her team Michelle, Vassilis amd Mathieu for ensuring a constructive yet empowering evaluation throughout the meeting.
Speakers’s highlights
Monica delivered a thought-provoking speech titled “How should I survive in a world full of ideals?” within Project Leadership Development #3-8. She skillfully delved into the question of whether we set unrealistic ethical standards, presenting a philosophical topic with a deeply conversational and engaging tone.
Zsolt tackled the theme of “Environmentalism” in his Presentation Mastery #1-3 speech, introducing vocal variety and powerful gestures. His content and delivery earned him the well-deserved title of Best Speaker for the evening.
Joran took us on a humorous journey with “I should have told Laurence”, in his Project Presentation Mastery #1-4 speech, shedding light on some unfortunate leadership examples he encountered in his career.
A warm welcome goes to Innocent, who embarked on his Toastmasters journey with the “Icebreaker” speech for Project Presentation Mastery #1-1. He effectively introduced himself to the club, showcasing he is guilty of an authentic speaking style and a charmingly humorous personality. He set a positive tone for his future speeches. A warm welcome to the club, Innocent!
The art of evaluations
Our evaluators—Yani, Elias, Christina, and Kevin—provided insightful feedback, strategically analyzing the speeches with empathy and encouragement. Kevin was recognized with the Best Evaluation award for his outstanding contribution.
Table Topics
Our impromptu speech session was orchestrated by Richard, who took us on an engaging journey of alien invasion scenarios, showcasing creativity at its best. Tatyana won the Best Table Topics Speaker award, convincingly assuring us that an alien invasion is nothing compared to the challenges we, the earthlings, create for ourselves.
Closing Thoughts
A heartfelt thank you to all who contributed to the wonderful atmosphere and the success of the evening, showcasing our commitment to personal development and effective communication within the strategic framework of Toastmasters.
What is on the horizon?
Looking ahead, let’s continue our journey to public speaking excellence in the upcoming meetings. As we experiment with different locations until we return to the familiar Blue Monkey, seize the opportunity to try different stages, starting with a theatrical stage
March 12th – Regular Meeting with a shocking Theme and Joanna as the TME (L200)
Special Events:
Area E4 Contest: Friday, February 23rd 17:30 to 22:00 in Europaallee (or join online) come to support our club winners, Thomas, Christina, Elias and myself, Vanessa at the international, evaluation and table topics speech contests. Engaging speeches and mingle with the other Toastmasters clubs of our area (Walk the Talk, Credit Suisse Corporate Club and St. Gallen TMC). Hier is the registration Link https://forms.gle/bM5PaeFXCVHLECZZ9
Area E4 German Speech contest: Saturday, February 24th online
How are speeches of our area doing in German? Join to explore and maybe support 😊
Embrace the spirit of renewal and fresh starts at our upcoming Toastmasters meeting themed “New Beginnings.” It’s the perfect time to set new goals, try new speaking roles, or simply refresh your public speaking and leadership skills.
Date: 27th Feb 2024 Time: 6.45 p.m. Theme: “New Beginnings”
🔹 Highlights of the Meeting:
Inspirational Speeches: Hear stories of transformation and new starts.
Table Topics: Sharpen your impromptu speaking skills with prompts that inspire renewal.
Evaluations: Dive into the power of feedback & growth.
Featured Quote: “The magic in new beginnings is truly the most powerful of them all.” – Josiyah Martin
This meeting is your canvas for the year ahead. Whether you’re a seasoned member or new to Toastmasters, let’s embark on this journey of growth and discovery together.
🌟 Let “New Beginnings” inspire you to speak boldly, lead confidently, and start anew. Join us for an evening of motivational stories and actionable insights.
Marathon speaks for endurance, inspiration, and praises the human mind! Our recent Speakathon was last Tuesday was a vibrant showcase of that, a testament to the art of communication!Seven back-to-back speeches, spread over all pathways levels, unfolded a night of eloquence and diverse insights.
Our Toastmaster of the evening, Thomas, guided us through the night with carnival colors, aligning with the Fasnacht or Swiss Carnival atmosphere. A huge thank you to each participant for making it such an enriching experience!
Sabina guiding us through the mysteries of easy speak & basecamp
Celebrating our Speakers
Julian visited us from the “Walk the Talk TMC”, and offered us a compelling narrative on “how to fail like a leader” teaching us the valuable lessons embedded in failure.
Fereshteh took us on a “Poetry” journey through time and Iran, engaging the audience with metaphors and well-constructed content — a testament to the essential elements of an informative speech, both reflecting and insightful. What made us to embark on the travel with her? Inviting the audience to close their eyes and delve in the world of poetry, is an exceptional move for an immersive experience of the audience! Everyone followed!
Aaron unveiled the meaning of a happy life or “Ikigai” structuring his speech on its four key elements! Aaron’s educational speech featured an excellent structure, relatable examples, and a harmonious conversational tone. Closing the eyes and immersing in the topic, is an excellent trick to beat the urge for using filler words and engage to more vocal variety!
Christina shared her personal story and, emphasized the importance of language pronunciation for effective communication, in a speeech delivered with humor, while educating the audience on how not to get “lost in translation”. Adding to those speech winning elements, the masterful use of the English language, it was no surprise she captured the first speaker award.
Sabina demonstrated the use of our different platforms (Basecamp, TMI and Easyspeak) in our Toastmasters journey and she skillfully handled a challenging audience, showcasing communication skills beyond the ordinary. Talkers, interrupters and chatters, cannot steal your stage shine, managing the audience is a learnable skill!
Kevin masterfully persuaded the audience with a well-researched argument on how our brain works. The “Unseen strings” of his speech was marked by an engaging opening and impeccable delivery. Content and delivery are both equally required for pursuading any audience!
Alessandro introduced himself with an icebreaker! Sharing his objectives and his passion, for Italy and parmesan. An engaging icebreaker, showing us what to come from our new member!
The Art of Evaluation
A masterful evening with evaluations helped us understand the difference between advice and feedback. Evaluation speeches not only support the speakers to their public speaking journey, but are also educating the audience! Alice and Richard shared the first-place award, emphasizing constructive observations and storytelling.
Final thoughts and Thanks
This Speakathon was a testament to the diverse talents within our club and the supportive environment that fosters growth and learning. Each speech was a step forward in our journey of personal and professional development. Our event΄s success was also due to the seamless coordination and support from everyone, our Grammarian, Ah and Vote Counter, Evaluators and the committee Anna, Samira, Harry for organizing the welcome process! A big thank you to all for your energy and participation!
What’s in the Horizon?
Let us carry forward this momentum and continue to support each other in our speaking endeavours!
Many regular meetings are coming up, at different venues! Explore various themes & stages:
February 20th – Regular meeting with Theme: “Strategic” and Svetlana as our TME: (Zunfthaus zur Zimmerleuten).
February 27th – Regular meeting with Theme: “New Beginnings” and Michelle as ourTME (Gross Saal in Karl der Grosse).
March 12th – Regular Meeting with “Shocking” Theme and Joanna as our TME (L200).
Special Events
Area E4 Contest: Friday, February 23rd, 17:30 to 22:00 in Europaallee (or join online).
Come to support our club winners, Thomas, Christina, Elias and myself, Vanessa at the international, evaluation and table topics speech contests.
Engaging speeches and mingle with the other Toastmasters clubs of our area is what to expect (Walk the Talk, Top Notch, Credit Suisse Corporate Club and St. Gallen). Register here.
Area E4 German Speech Contest: Saturday, February 24th, online.
How are speeches of our area doing in German? Join to explore and maybe support. Register here.
Prepare to engage in the art of strategic thinking at our upcoming Toastmasters meeting. This session is dedicated to exploring the depths of strategic communication, planning, and execution through the power of speech.
Date: Feb 20th 2024 Time: 6.45 pm Theme: “Strategic”
🔍 Meeting Highlights:
Themed Speeches: Discover how strategic thinking can be applied in various aspects of life and work.
Table Topics: Test your quick strategic responses to unexpected questions.
Evaluations: Learn to provide feedback that targets strategic improvement and growth.
Featured Quote: “Strategy is about making choices, trade-offs; it’s about deliberately choosing to be different.” – Michael Porter
Dive into the discussion on how strategic thinking influences our decisions, leadership, and the path to achieving our goals. Whether you’re a seasoned strategist or just starting to explore this vital skill, this meeting is your opportunity to sharpen your mind and your words.
🚀 Join us for a night of insightful speeches and strategic thinking. Let’s navigate the complexities of strategy together!
Gear up for an exhilarating Speech Marathon at our next Toastmasters meeting! Dive deep into the art of public speaking with back-to-back speeches, constructive evaluations, and boundless energy.
Date: February 13th Time: 18.45 Event: Toastmasters Speech Marathon
🚀 Event Highlights:
Non-stop Speeches: A lineup of speeches across a variety of topics and styles.
Rapid Evaluations: Quick, insightful feedback to help speakers grow.
Endurance and Skill: Test your speaking stamina and learn from others.
Featured Quote: “The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” – Arthur C. Clarke
This is your moment to challenge yourself, refine your speaking skills, and enjoy the supportive atmosphere of our Toastmasters community. Whether you’re speaking, evaluating, or cheering on your fellow members, the Speech Marathon is a fantastic opportunity for growth and camaraderie.
🌈 Join us for this marathon of words and wisdom set against the beautiful backdrop of Zurich. Let’s inspire and be inspired!
A special thank you to the speakers who took on a somewhat daunting task: studying a piece of work by a poet unknown to most of them. Then to provide a reading, using their best vocal variety and further helping us understand what the poet was trying to tell us!
Starting of the evening in proper attire.
Many thanks also to Thomas, who brought both light-heartedness and seriousness into his Toast to the Lassies. Your example of Jane Goodall, whose monumental work with primates shames our efforts into nothingness, was a superb choice. To Vanessa for her Toast to the Laddies, and finally to Yesi: who captured the spirit of Burns’ Address to the Haggis, and made it personal as well as clear to the audience what this was all about!
To the Haggisthe Haggis, in case you were wondering.
Huge thank yous to our team of bard interpreters: Denisse – you captured the essence of what Robert Burns tried to tell us. Samira, your eloquent embracing of Burns’ Mountain Daisy was outstanding. And, Roland, old faithful: who was already familiar with Burns, chose one of his most illustrative poems to share with us!
Thank you, also, to the Evaluators, Timer, and Vote-counter who rounded off the evening.
I’ve had many messages of thanks and congratulations from fellow members since yesterday evening! So, I think we can safely say the event was a success!
Join us for a special Toastmasters meeting celebrating Burns Night, an evening dedicated to the great Scottish poet Robert Burns. Embrace Scottish culture, enjoy Burns’ poetry, and enhance your public speaking skills.
Date: 30th January 2024 Time: 6.45 pm Theme: Burns Night
🔥 Special Features:
Burns Poetry Recitation: Experience the magic of Robert Burns’ poetry.
Scottish Traditions: Learn about Scottish culture and enjoy traditional dishes.
Themed Speeches: Share stories or speeches inspired by Burns’ works or Scottish heritage.
Featured Quote: “Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?” – Robert Burns
Dress in tartan or come as you are, and prepare for an evening of eloquence, inspiration, and Scottish charm. Whether you’re a Burns enthusiast or new to his work, this meeting is a perfect blend of cultural celebration and Toastmasters’ spirit.
Worldwide, the 25th of January each year is dedicated to the memory of Robert Burns, the son of Scottish farmer parents. Born in 1759, Burns died in 1796 at the relatively young age of 37. In that short period of time he wrote more than 550 poems and songs. Translated into at least 43 languages, including Hindu, Urdu, and Russian. Leaving behind a legacy considered unparalleled in the literary world by some.
Some of his poems denounced “the immorality of the rich, fighting oppression with ‘Christian’ values”, and attacked the corruption and incompetence of the governing elite, as depicted by the card-playing landowners in “The Twa Dogs”. Especially after his death, he became a source of inspiration for liberalism and socialism. So it should come as no surprise that in Russia he became known as the “people’s poet during the revolutionary period. Later, his work was endorsed by the Soviet Communist Regime, who described Burns as a “progressive”.
But it was perhaps as a pioneer of the ‘Romantic movement’ – characterised by its emphasis on emotion and individualism as well as glorification of nature – that his poetry became best known!
On Tuesday, after the initial club business has been dealt with, we will follow a traditional Burns’ Night programme. We’ll pipe in our dinner, say our toasts (with Whisky) to the food. Haggis for the non-vegetarians, and a ragù-type dish for the rest. Accompanied by neeps, and tatties. After dinner, we’ll follow with more toasts, first to the immortal memory of Robert Burns, and then by a toast to the lassies, to which a lassie will reply with a toast to the laddies.
During the final part of the programme, three of our members will contribute poetry readings, before we close our Burns’ Night celebration.
So, come and learn more about this inspirational Scot, and watch our members take on challenges beyond the ordinary speaking projects we normally encounter, while entertaining us with the unforgettable poetry of Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns.
I am thrilled to recap the remarkable events of our last evening’s Club Speech Contest, an evening filled with the spirit of competition, camaraderie, and exceptional speeches. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to the incredible individuals who organized and facilitated the contest, elevating the experience for everyone involved.
impressions ofour newvenue
Alice, Kevin, and Richard, our dedicated contest chairs, and Chief Judge, demonstrated outstanding leadership by taking on these challenging roles. They ensured that all rules were followed meticulously, fostering an environment of fairness, and allowing our contestants to shine. Their inclusion of humor and engaging interviews seamlessly integrated fun into the formal framework of Toastmasters contests.
A special mention goes to the magnificent Zunftsaal at Zimmerleuten, providing a historical backdrop that added a unique charm to our public speaking competition. Competing in such an inspiring medieval setting, in the heart of Zurich where significant decisions once shaped the future of the city, enhanced the overall experience.
Winner table topics ThomasWinner international speech contest Vanessa
Speakers΄ Highlight
Elias shared a poignant personal story of his childhood in the south of Argentina, illustrating how those experiences continue to influence his professional and personal life. His well-structured, authentic, and conversational style earned him the well-deserved second place in the International Speech Contest.
Myself, Vanessa embarked on a journey to enhance my public speaking skills and triumphed with the first-place award. The speech was crafted with a clear structure, empowering language, and a conscious focus on vocal variety, aimed to inspire.
Table Topics Speech Contest
The Speech Contest Type is, Zuriberg’s absolute favorite! It showcased the impromptu speaking skills of eight participants. Thomas, a history enthusiast, transported us back to Napoleon’s coronation in Paris, December 2nd, 1804, claiming the first-place prize. Christina, exploring the concept of time travel, delivered a powerful message about living in the present, earning her the second spot in the area contest.
Closing thoughts
As we reflect on the success of the Club Speech Contest, let’s not forget the unsung heroes behind the scenes. A heartfelt thank you to our judges and visible contest officials, Emilio, Svetlana, Hugo, Anna, and our Area Director Santhiago for their invaluable support. Managing formalities may not be easy, but it enriches our educational journey by providing insights into what makes a speech excel at the competition level.
Contest Chair AliceContest Chair Kevin
To all members, I encourage you to consider stepping up and taking on a role in the upcoming season contests. Whether it’s as a judge, timer, ballot counter, or any other vital position, you will undoubtedly grow and contribute to the success of our Toastmasters community.
In closing, let’s celebrate the success of our recent contest and look forward to the growth and inspiration that future contests will undoubtedly bring. Who knows, perhaps a Zuriberger will represent us at the District Level Competition in Istanbul on May 11th!
Thank you all for making the Club Speech Contest Zuriberg 2024, a truly memorable event!
Best regards,
Vanessa Stournari
President Zuriberg Toastmasters Club
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