Free online event
How to write a memorable speech
Exclusively for public servants and policymakers
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2022
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You’ll learn how to:
- Recognise the qualities that make a speech memorable
- Identify great speech writing techniques
- Understand the importance of good speech writing in the public service
Speakers
Speaker resources
- The Political Speechwriter's Companion (2nd Ed) by Robert Lehrman and Eric Schnure
- Ted Talks by Christopher Anderson
- Writing Great Speeches by Alan Pearlman
- Speechwriting: The Expert Guide by Simon Lancaster
- Connect! by Simon Lancaster
- Talk Like TED, by Carmine Gallo
- Ted Talks
Apolitical resources
- Writing Well in Government, Premium course
- The public servants' guide to effective writing, article and guide
Great speeches have the potential to spark the imagination and inspire an audience to action.
But writing such an unforgettable speech takes skill: from knowing how to engage your audience, to setting the right rhythm and pace. Thankfully, it’s a skill that can be learned and developed.
Watch this free online workshop to learn about how to write a memorable speech. You’ll hear first-hand from public servant speechwriters how to write a speech that is captivating and impactful, no matter the audience or the speaker.
Who should watch:
This workshop is for any public servant or policymaker, working at any level, who is interested in learning about how to write unforgettable speeches.
Interested in how Apolitical can support you and your organisation? Learn about collaborating with us.
Picture credit: Pexels
Speakers
Heather Temple-Williams
Speechwriter
United Kingdom
Gabrielle Cesvet
Former Head Speechwriter, Office of the Prime Minister of Canada
Canada
Elana Aptowitzer
Head of Speechwriting at the Department of National Defence
Canada
Heather Temple-Williams, Speechwriter, Welsh Government. Heather has worked in Welsh Government and its predecessor bodies for 20 years. For the last four years Heather has been a Senior Speeches Manager in the Education and Public Services department within Welsh Government, writing speeches for Ministers and training and advising other members of staff on writing skills. Heather has extensive experience in speech-writing and public speaking, both professionally as a civil servant and as a lay preacher and ordinand.
Gabrielle Cesvet, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Head of Speechwriting, wrote speeches in English and in French for more than four years, worked two federal election campaigns and led Prime Minister Trudeau's speechwriting team during his second mandate. Since then, she has worked in Communications at Meta and now serves as the Strategic Readiness Lead at TikTok.
Elana Aptowitzer, Head of Speechwriting at Canada’s Department of National Defence. She and her team of speechwriters write between 250 and 360 speeches per year for the Minister, the Chief of the Defence Staff, and other political and military leaders. She is the Founder and Chair of the Government of Canada's Speechwriters' Community of Practice and recently served as the Federal Public Servant In-Residence at Carleton University, where she developed and taught a professional speechwriting course. Elana graduated from McGill University, in Montreal, Canada, with an Honours Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and Sociology. She earned a Masters in Strategic Public Communications from American University in Washington, DC.
