Dear Zuriberg Toastmasters,
What a truly enchanting start we had to the new year at our last Tuesday’s gathering, set against the historical backdrop of the medieval Guild of the Carpenters in Zurich!
Stepping into the medieval guild hall was like taking a journey back in time. The rich history of the Guild of the Carpenters provided a unique setting for our meeting. Sabina, our Toastmaster of the evening, skillfully guided us through an entertaining journey, seamlessly navigating the challenges posed by the new venue with her excellent preparation.
Speakers΄ Highlights
Keynote in Evaluations: Roland, in his eloquent keynote, likened evaluation to the essential fertilizer of our growth. He outlined nine guiding principles, with the first and foremost being to listen carefully and observe the speaker’s objectives.
Yani elucidated some Artificial Intelligence (AI) aspects with the creative story- telling elements, while bringing Alan Turin to life throughout her speech.
Path Reflection: Harry shared an inspiring reflection on his extensive public speaking journey, starting at the tender age of seven. His key advice? To become a better speaker or conversationalist, one must begin by learning to listen. His remarkable achievements earned him the best speaker award.
Zsolt seamlessly integrated his speech with the theme of the day, providing valuable insights on hacking ourselves to turn learning into an entertaining journey.
Icebreaker: Congratulations to Marco for his icebreaker! With vivid descriptions and body language, he took us on a captivating journey to Italy. What added to the speech’s quality? His authentic sharing of his public speaking objectives.
The Art of Evaluations
Evaluations, being a form of speech themselves, demand engaging openings, structured content, and effective time management. All evaluators applied some of the nine principles shared in the keynote, granting them the skill of effective listening! Christina, with her constructive examples, was rightfully awarded the best evaluator.
What Awaits on the Horizon
– 23rd of January: Club Speech Contest with Alice and Kevin as Contest Chairs.
– 30th of January:Cultural Enrichment with Burn’s Night hosted by Harry. Spoiler alert: Expect Scottish ambiance, poetry, whiskey, and the opening dedicated to our general assembly.
Here’s to more captivating evenings at the Guild of the Carpenters, where each gathering becomes a page in our own historical narrative.
Warmest wishes,
Vanessa Stournari,
President Zuriberg TMC